STEEL NATION

there are only two words for this album: the truth. true hardcore, true lyrics, true meaning, truly well written and well done. i had heard a couple new songs here and there between seeing them live and checking out their myspace but i was completely unprepared for the 13 track, double-bass packed, shredding, dual-vocal wielding classic that is steel nation's "forever wounded."

the song writing is definitely in the vein of the bands i mentioned above and while i don't assume they pulled influence from pale horse, there are points where they really remind me of each other. strictly in terms of their writing ability, let me say this: every song is just as good as the last. every track, more-than-likely, will be a favorite. between the double bass that simply is everywhere in this recording without sounding recycled, rehashed, or just randomly placed there, and the far-from-generic heavy, catchy breakdowns and grooves, you cannot help but get caught up in pretty much every second... but the thing i love about this band, which is very rare in hardcore, is the dual vocals shared between the guitar and bass player. i wasn't sure what to expect when i heard they dropped their frontman and were going to share the duty of vocals between the two, but i was convinced when i saw them within the past year at the championship. their voices contrast each other so well without out-doing the other or being way too off the map from each other. as individuals, their vocals fit the music perfectly and i couldn't imagine it any other way.

the lyrics are excellent. i definitely can relate to the inner-and-outer-struggle the nation speaks of and how in some situations you can truly only rely on yourself. you can tell from reading/hearing them that each song tells a story of those struggles in a way that has you remembering every word and screaming them to yourself in your car hoping no one else is looking (guilty). when you pick up this release, be sure to read through the lyrics in the first listen. like i said, they are true and passionate and even if you for some reason cannot relate to them, you will definitely feel them.

the production on this release is so much better than their prior releases; their recent split included (which, thankfully, one of the two tracks has been re-recorded and included on this ep). that is another thing this band needed: a great recording with a hard punch behind it. i've been listening to it on the headphones, the laptop, and in the car, and it sounds great from every output i've experienced so far. super smooth and crisp with a lot of "umph" if yanahmean.

so, overall, this is a must-cop release to add to your cd collection. to me, there isn't one bad song, or even one bad part of a song, so this stands as my favorite album of 09 so far (not much time left)... mostly because of everything i stated above and more: real lyrics i can relate to, amazing song-writing ability that will simply shred into your ears until they bleed, one of the best drummers in this area (at the very least), dual vocals that are unique and fit the feel of the band perfectly, and every song just as good as the last. if you like real, passionate, heavy, punishing hardcore that is no-where near generic or recycled, then this is a must-buy. no questions asked and no doubt in my mind that it will play so much in your cd player/ipod you would think it was stuck. and as always, when they come into your area, CHECK THEM OUT! you will get a unique performance full of energy and pure talent. real.

Label:
Double or Nothing

Official Site:
http://www.myspace.com/thesteelnation

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Posted By:
Cool Jeremy