Review Archive: U

Quintessentials  

Riot  

Old punk bands never die...at least it seems that way. These two albums mark the 20th anniversary for the Subs, with a two simultaneous album releases on two different labels. Is it as good as their 20-year-old stuff? You'll have to ask someone who knows their material better than I do. But listening to them with virgin ears, it's damn good! Fast, powerful, short, and best when played LOUD. There's a total of 31 songs on the two records, and only a couple throwaways (as there almost always are on a double-album...which is basically what this is). But 95% are good: the first 3 songs on Quintessentials just blow me away every time I hear them. I think Riot is my favorite of the two; if you like one, make sure you get the other.

East Los Presents...  

I really don't listen to much hardcore anymore; a lot of it these days seems to owe more of its sound to metal than punk. But Union 13 does it the right way: fast and angry without (many) mosh-parts (of course, the good production by Tim and Lars is unlike the early 80's bands). Most of the songs are sung/yelled in English, but there are a couple Spanish numbers in here, too, and I can't help but be reminded of Los Crudos.

Why Are We Destroying Ourselves?   

While the new release from Union 13 is a bit more polished and melodic than their debut, Why Are We Destroying Ourselves continues to be serious hardcore, both musically and lyrically. It's fast and aggressive and has more than a few sing-along backup "whoa" parts. The lyrics are personal and serious — it's good to see that some bands still put effort into them. Most seem to focus on learning life's truths while growing up ("No Time for Learning", "A Life's Story") and the problems that exist in the world ("Why Are We Destroying Ourselves?"). I'm assuming that the songs in Spanish are similar in tone — they sure are sung/screamed like they are. And, like Los Crudos, it doesn't matter that you don't understand the lyrics — you can tell that singer Edward Escoto means them. Nice to see that good hardcore still exists.

Occupational Hazard  

Very heavy, very hard, very metal. Distorted, screaming vocals full of anguish and anger. Not my favorite kind of stuff, but not altogether horrible for what it is. Some of the faster, less sludgier songs are listenable (but not too many times). If you're the type of person that misses "Headbangers Ball", this might be your bag.