Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Bane

Give Blood (2001)
Equal Vision Records

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

Contributed by: emptycauses
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on August 6th 2002

Fuck I am Pissed.

However, this is not always a bad thing. I find it only helps to feel the rage of any hardcore band more. Because when you find that rage you can fucking relate, and lets just say I can relate with Bane. This band has come along way from being a Converge side project. Bane has carved its own identity into the hardcore scene and is quickly becoming one of the best in my opinion. This, their 2nd full length release, is all around much more solid then "It All Comes Down To This". I was hoping they could reproduce another classic such as "Can We Start Again" off their 1st Lp. They didn't, but I'd rather have an all around solid album, then just a mediocre one with an amazing track on it.

The band hasn't changed much musically, just a tad more aggresive. Vocally, Aaron's voice is still very strong and reminds me now, more then ever, of Matt from Rise Against. If I were to describe the bands sound to someone who had never listened to them. I would tell them it was a mixture of Sick of it All and Rise Against minus the great bass players in both of those bands. I personally cant find anything special about Pete, Bane's bass player. Now to the album....

The opening track off of any album, I believe, should give you a taste of whats to come. It should not be the best track, and it should not be worst or most musicaly different. It should instead, be an in your face anthem that sets the pace for the rest of the album. Bane delievers here, with one of the best opening tracks for a hardcore album in a while. Speechless (the 1st track) starts with a start stop guitar rythym for about 2 seconds untill Aaron screams "Fuck Yea I am still hoding on, making mountains out of molehills , trading moments in for memories, these days still mean everything to me...." The song is great, and I couldn't think of a better way to start off an album. Some Came Running keeps the intensity going, not as fast as the previous track, but still very good. It has a nice break in the middle of the song, where there is a solo and then Aaron talking, very good back up vocals in this song. Next is Snakes Among Us, it has a very good intro, kind of System of a Downish, with a heavy emphasis on the drums. The 4th track, Release the Hounds, is my favorite on here, and is very good lyrically and has a guitar riff in the middle of the song, that I am telling you, will stick in your head for forever.

With Give Blood, Bane created a very good cd. The few things that holds this cd down, (pun intended, as the 5th track is called What Holds Us Down), is that the cd is short with not to much variety. However, this cd is well worth it. Hell, I would get this cd for the lyrics alone, they are honestly that good. The cd booklet is also very very good, its like a smaller version of Bad Religion's "Process of Belief" booklet. Overall, Bane seems to only be getting better, and hell, while their music gets better, their INSANE live act remains amazing. This band is truely meant to be seen live. I suggest you pick up this cd and go see Bane in a town near you.

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

timfischer (January 11, 2008)

i dont see why people dislike aarons voice
i really like it and its very unique compared to some other hardcore bands

jimmyjjackamoose (June 10, 2007)

something's wrong with the Bane singer's voice. its completely unmelodic and painful to listen to. but the lyrics/music aren't bad. so are the groupshouts. i could understand liking this band, but i can't.

jt (June 3, 2007)

bane's best album

tjrocks12 (January 31, 2007)

amazing album. life-changing and very meaningful. great guitar on "some came running" "ante up" is one of my favorite songs. and there is no "matt" in rise against. (i would know. they're my favorite band and i have every release) but the bane singers voice does sound like rise against's first guitar players backing vocals, just on lead. just an incredible album.

Anonymous (June 4, 2006)

yeah this cd pretty much owns almost all the tracks on here are good. bane is probily one of the best bands there is and if you dont think so i will end you

Anonymous (June 2, 2004)

fuck this stupid band

Anonymous (October 5, 2002)

Amazing album, one of the best i have ever listened to.

Anonymous (August 12, 2002)

and besides. warner doesnt own 51 percent of epitaph. they own 51 percent of THE HIVES. who are on epitaph/burning heart. do your homework dickpig.

Anonymous (August 12, 2002)

whos the nerd who keeps trying to spread that wack rumor about epitaph. who cares. sucks either way
but like shit, he says it on every stupid message board. give it up.

seek (August 11, 2002)

they don't own any percent of Epitaph, stupid.

Anonymous (August 9, 2002)

Bane's live shows are down right impressive. Who could have imagined that a band like this could continue for years upon years with the same youthful ferocity?

I was talking to the guy that signed Coheed and Cambria at Warped Tour at the Equal Vision kiosk and supposedly "2nd stage turbine blade" is predicted to outsell "can't slow down."

whendovescry.

Anonymous (August 9, 2002)

warner bros wanted to buy 51% of Equal Vision records but they weren't down with all the Straight Edge nonsense, so they got 51% of epitaph instead

emptycauses (August 8, 2002)

yea, sorry dont know what i was thinking when i said matt, thanks for the correction :)

Fuzzy (August 7, 2002)

it's hardcore! it's supposed to be short without much variety!!!!

;)

Anonymous (August 6, 2002)

This album kicks so much ass. I wasn't sure what to expect, but BAM, there it is. The album definately could have been longer. Oh well.

A quick side note, there is no MAtt in rise against. I assume you meant Tim. That's neither here nor there. Good review.

Anonymous (August 6, 2002)

Very very good. Bane reminds me why I started listening to hardcore in the first place.

Anonymous (August 6, 2002)

the end of the cd, the "give more, give everything, give blood" chants are so amazing, gives me chills.

Agreed, their shows are amazing.

This review is right on, I wish it was longer and with a little more variety but hell, its still better then whatever cd any of you are planning on buying next.

And their layout is much better than the BR cd.

Anonymous (August 6, 2002)

this is a fucking amazing cd.

Anonymous (August 5, 2002)

Good review, though you could have gone through the rest of the songs. Ante Up is my personal fave, with Sunflowers and Sunsets, The Big Gun Down, and Ali v. Frasier 1 coming in close seconds... and maybe Some Came Running, Snakes Among Us, and Release the Hounds as well.

Fuck there are so many incredible songs on this cd. Bane is my fave hardcore band. Everybody should go buy this cd if you don't already have it.

-Scotty