The Enemies

Oh boy, this is a good one. The second full-length release from this East Bay three-piece, The Enemies, is a masterpiece. On Seize the Day, The Enemies play some impressive punk/hardcore in the vein of Thought Riot, complete with tight melodies, crisp vocals, intelligent, thought-provoking lyrics, and loads of intensity and attitude.

The Enemies start things off with the aggressive "Palm of My Hand," and from here on in, never back down. Their brand of fast-paced, raw and edgy punk that at times is pretty dark and hard, is quit simply infectious. Their expert musicianship and undeniable songwriting ability is evident on every track, leading to the disc's overall complex, layered sound.

Likewise, this cd is full of intelligent lyrics that span the entire gamut of subjects from the socio-political "Broken" to the introspective "Last Rights": "My affliction has immigrated from the surface to the bone, to this tattered soul, and I fear it's contagious" - AFI, anyone?

Notable songs include "Palm of My Hand," "East 14th," "Checkmate," and the final two songs that are phenomenal indeed:"Burn the Page" has frantic vocals, ferocious guitars, unrelenting basslines, and tempestuous drums, while the aforementioned "Last Rights" is, at over six minutes long, a grand-scale epic. This last track showcases everything that makes this band so great, which primarily is it's uncannily complex, intricately woven sound that is truly a thing that can only be understood once it is heard.

As a result, this is a definite must-have for any punk aficionado.