WITHIN BLOOD ...First Blood
Okay, the first time I ever heard Within Blood was when I saw them supporting Toe to Toe at the punters in the latter half of last year. There was a TV in the corner playing some 50's medieval movie with a bunch of guys in armor and shit fighting with swords, and it was just the perfect background to their set.
Fuck...how do I describe this...It's kinda better if you approach this record without all the "featuring memebers of..." hype, 'coz otherwise you're just gonna compare it to those bands, like I'm about to. First listen to this record and I thought "okay, this is pretty much the 'under fire' record (all mindsnare's old shit) with another guitar"...good for a bit of a laugh at the cheesiness of it all, and fun to dance to live. But then I taped it and actually had a good listen to it while walking up to 7 eleven. (I haven't heard enough grim reality or ultimatum to comment on their influence on within blood's sound).
Before even getting out the front gate I was going "yeah! fuck yeah!! hardcore pride!!!"...simply, this CD rocks. It's got all the great hardcore traditions; a cool old school logo, awesome front and back cover band photos, even that outlined font. Why am I describing the packaging and not the music? 'Coz you can look at this CD and know exactly what it sounds like, that's why. It's cliched, but somehow not boring. I've been listening to nothing but this since I bought it two weeks ago, and I'm still not sick of it.
So, If you're a fan of that really metal influenced old school - i.e lots of minor seconds and sixths, drop tuning, and just basic chunkyness - with a pretty direct madball influence (well that's what it sounds like to me anyway), then you're gonna love this record. If not, see 'em play first, and buy the record at the show or something. 'Coz this is the kinda shit that really goes over better live. Then you can listen to this at home and remember the brutality of the night before : )
FAVOURITE LYRIC: "down so fucking deep/I wanna leave you so alone" (what's this, Matt Maunder goes emo?)...and "with not one fazoo to your name"
FAVOURITE SONG: Ourseleves, for the breakdown...try keeping your arms still.
COOLEST BIT: the fact that Matt has finally decided to write more than three sentences per song...that and Lloyd making an Ibanez bass actually sound good.
LAMEST BIT: the fact that the phrase "true to the game" is never used...where's the respect for the traditions of hardcore, dammit? : )
A GOOD REASON WHY YOU SHOULD OWN THIS RECORD:
'Coz it'll make you stronger.
LOW DOWN BOTTOM LINE AND OTHER HIP WORDS FOR "SUMMING UP" BIT:
Don't expect anything really pushing the boundaries. It's generic tough guy music, but it's done really well. Good, catchy songs that are over before they get annoying, cool breakdowns and a nice tribute to ACDC at the end : )
IN A WORD: Fucking Brutal...OLD SCHOOL PRIDE!!!!!!
CONTACT:
RESIST RECORDS: po box 372
Newton, NSW, Australia 2042.
Or try the Resist website, but at the time of this review,
there was nothing on there about this record:
If that fails...they got 'em in missing link.
