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By JEFF MAKI
Since the Flood plays sludgy hardcore metal similar to The Acacia Strain or Sworn Enemy. The band hails from the Massachusetts and New Hampshire scene, the same movement that spawned Unearth, Shadows Fall and Killswitch Engage. This band, however, has little in common with those. It will be a cold day in hell before we ever hear Since the Flood on FM radio. No Compromise follows their 2005 debut Valor and Vengeance, released on Ironclad Recordings, which is owned by Unearth frontman Trevor Phillips. Being endorsed by Unearth can only bring good things, right?
The title of the album is a dead giveaway because compromise the band does not. Along with the above references, Since the Flood dole sout '80s-inspired hardcore. I imagine a live setting that you'd see in black-and-white hardcore film footage of a dimly-lit venue with about 300 close friends. The band then proceeds to tear through two- to three-minute anthemic bursts of anger, complete with stage-diving, circle pits and lots of shaved heads. That pretty much sums up No Compromise. This is not a groundbreaking release and it's not meant to be. The album's producer also has bands such as Blood for Blood, Cave In and Dropkick Murphys to his credit, so you get the idea.
Don't grab up this album thinking it'll be like Killswitch Engage. No Compromise is rough around the edges and no extra polish was used here. I enjoy shit like this. You don't need to think about anything with this style of metal. You know what you're getting song in and song out--no surprises, just rock-fucking-solid hardcore metal.
Choice cuts: “No Compromise,” “I Am What I Am,” “Save It” |
