Common Cause - The Power Change

I know this record is out for a while. Still I wasn't able to get it until I was at the TeenagexLust release show last weekend. Damn did I miss out on something. 'The Power To Change' is right up there with the releases of The First Step and True Colors.
Just awesome, inspiring, generic youth crew to singalong with and do some dancing on. Don't expect posthardcore influences, hatebreed mosh or gaslight anthem rock. Just classic '88 style hardcore. Something that isn't played too often anymore nowadays. Fans of the genre pick this up cause WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE!

Oh did I say the band features exmembers of Eyeball, Damage Control, Sportswear and Onward?

Myspace: Common Cause

Death Is Not Glamorous/Another Year 7"

Another record from Take The Risk records, this time a split 7" with Death Is Not Glamorous on one side and Another Year on the other. Two Scandinavian bands with Death Is Not Glamorous being the most well known, so I'll start with their contribution to this record.
For those who don't have the Undercurrents record by this band with exmembers of Damage Control, shame on you. Especially if you like Lifetime, Shook Ones and Gorilla Biscuits because if anything DING is the European answer to these bands. A position they once more confirm on this split. Especially 'Compassion' about the meat industry is a great song. It's up there with 'No More' by Youth Of Today and 'Cats and Dogs' by Gorilla Biscuits. In fact this song sounds like it's lyrics are written by Cappo during the heydays of Shelter, the music is made by Lifetime and Civ and Ari Katz are both singing. This split is worth to check out if only for this song.

Another Year brings a more standard approach to hardcore. The songs rage like the faster Go It Alone songs on their first record. Other bands that come to mind are American Nightmare (minus all the poetic stuff) and one way or another Battery. The Another Year songs aren't bad but rather pale in comparison with the Death Is Not Glamorous site.

Myspace: Death Is Not Glamorous
Another Year
Label: Take The Risk Records