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Brutality. That's the word I'd use to describe this album. Utter brutality. From start to end this album skins you alive and screams in your ear loud enough to cause perminant loss of hearing.

Although longer and more varied than past F Minus albums, this is without any doubt their best. Most of the songs are what you'd expect from an F Minus album- raw, thrashing and fast as hell. Brad's gravel like voice mixed with Erika's throat tearing yell (which makes Brody Armstrong look like Britney Spears) propel the band over music as punishing as the lyrics. Lyrically this album is similar to the others, dealing with anger, anomie, violence and politics. Many people had labeled this album as "slower" than the rest, that's just false. First off, there are some songs that have a "heavier" tempo and last longer, but those one's ended up being my favorites on the record. Songs like "Wake Up Screaming", "Sweating Blood", "Not This Time", "From Here", and "Survival" are trademark, blistering F Minus. A couple of the songs play at a heavier, longer pace and really give the band a chance to show that they CAN play a song over 2 minutes long AND play it well! Brad get's his shot at it in "Mother Of Suffer"and, my personal favorite "Here Lies Jessica". Erika REALLY shines on the brutal "A Transformation". The latter 2 songs moving along at a chugging pace slightly faster than, say, side 2 of Black Flag's "My War". The album closes itself with the most ferocious and ear splitting song this band (or almost any band for that matter) has ever produced- "Barking Dog", I'm sure that both Erika and Brad sing on this song, but most of the time they are screaming so hard that you can't tell which is which. The scream until their throats become coarse, Erika actually screams until her throat actually gives out on a her a couple times. It's amazing.

This album more than earns it's 10. Definitely a surprise, not that I wasn't expecting it to be good, but just not incredible....which is what it is, purely an experiance which must be had from start to finish. The album plays almost like a single, long, brutal assault on the senses. Get this thing. Best thing to ever come out of Hellcat.



People who liked this also liked:
Operation Ivy - Operation IvyAgainst Me! - As The Eternal CowboyMinor Threat - Complete DiscographyWeezer - The Blue AlbumThe Clash - London CallingBad Brains - Bad BrainsDescendents - Milo Goes To CollegeBlack Flag - My WarHüsker Dü - Zen ArcadeRefused - The Shape of Punk to Come



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    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 at 7:49 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    this album is decent but i still must say the S/T and Suburban Blight are 10 times better they are much faster and capture the true F-Minus sound good CD none the less

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, November 9, 2003 at 5:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i love this band and i love this album although i think suburban blight was just a little better. too bad they got all their equipment stolen.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 1, 2003 at 12:51 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I definitely have to agree with this review. This album is a natural progression for F-Minus. They still have their amazingly raw and energetic sound, except they take more time to develop the songs on this album. Great stuff!

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 19, 2003 at 2:17 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    All i can say is some people are very easily pleased.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, April 19, 2003 at 5:51 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Hey guys u guys are slaming haha>u guys are the best band in D world.The Music is well yeah u know how it is hehe its d bomb.Uh look how im talking haha
    got to go though but its just something i had to write to u guys Rancid!

    Posted by FTY on 2003-04-02 22:28:05
    My Score:

    This record is amazing. That's the way I like it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 1, 2003 at 12:13 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this album is amazing but not as good as suburban blight. here lies jessica is the best song. hellcat is a division of epitaph, rancid are on both as tim armstrong owns hellcat. epitaph distributes and makes all of hellcat's cds. and suburban blight is the best album hellcat have put out.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 1, 2003 at 12:09 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Lame Pat, Lame!

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 31, 2003 at 10:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    so i guess the F- album gets an A ?

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 31, 2003 at 2:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Tim owns Hell-Cat. It is a sister company of Epitaph...Epithaph does the distro for Hell-Cat. Hell Cat puts out some AMAZING records.....Rancid, Tiger Army, Slackers ect.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, March 30, 2003 at 11:21 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I want to be a douchebag!!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 29, 2003 at 11:20 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    To the guy below...

    You're a douchebag.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 29, 2003 at 1:39 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Rancid sucks... Go home, wannabe Brits. There are plenty of fine American bands you can rip off and look a lot less stupid doing so... By the way, Rancid 2000 sucked big time. They need to go away, and their lead guitarist needs to stop going on VH1.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 28, 2003 at 3:00 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Only really hardcore kids, like the Crego, can get into this band.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 27, 2003 at 9:25 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I knew Hellcat was a division, I just wasn't really sure what label they were releasing their material on.

    Anyway, I'm drooling over the new Rancid record...I can't wait for that shit.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 27, 2003 at 6:35 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Like I said before......to each his own. I think Tiger Army is ok, but I'm not into psychobilly and Rancid is good but just not at the top of my list of faves. This album, however, is the best thing "to me" that ive ever heard come out of hellcat. It's just my opinion.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 27, 2003 at 2:10 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I believe Rancid is on both Epitaph and Hellcat. Hellcat is a division of Epitaph.....

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 27, 2003 at 11:51 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    I believe Tiger Army is the best out of the whole Hellcat lineup but...

    is Rancid on Hellcat? Or are they still on Epitaph?

    Posted by sickboi on 2003-03-27 11:14:35
    My Score:

    I belive "Do or Die" was released on Hellcat.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 27, 2003 at 2:21 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    F Minus is cool and all, but best out of Hellcat? What about Tiger Army and the Nekromantix (yes, I know import but they're still on Hellcat now). Oh, and the Distillers, wait, no, they suck. Still, Tiger Army.

    -El Vaquero
    (the only radio station i listen to is the oldies station, bitch-ass)

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 at 1:42 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i just got the jackass the movie dvd. All i got to do now is find this album for cheap and listen to F-Minus, see jackass and half-baked with my boys and this will be one fucking great night.

    Ramo
    (danger ehren owns your asses)

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 26, 2003 at 3:05 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    rainer maria comment = me rolling around on my floor pissing my pants

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 5:17 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this record isn't too bad...not as punk as the new rainer maria

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 4:27 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    oh shit.............i thought this was the NOFX board....sorry.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 4:27 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    There's a name we give "punks" who support bush and use racial slurs......it's called a neo-redneck. lol

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 3:26 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    hands down, one of the best hardcore records in the last decade. Bravo!

    Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2003-03-25 15:25:20
    My Score:

    i was on the fence for this one... the MP3s are really cool, and now i'm pretty sure i'll buy it

    Posted by waste_elite on 2003-03-25 14:48:13
    My Score:

    steve albini recorded this album

    albini F- = holy shit

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 2:35 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I like the review and I like what I've heard of this album so far. Good to see F-Minus is keeping it brutal.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 10:53 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Great review Brandon. This is what I'm talking about. I like the kids that write reviews like they were talking to you, not some wordy bullshit that looks like an English 200 essay.

    -sickboi

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 10:12 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    where's all the people screaming that no albums deserve a 10 other than clash's london calling or bad brains roir sessions? hmm......

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 8:00 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Well, I couldn't wait for this album to come out. I loved the last one and your review is fantastic. Damn I gotta go out and get this!
    -Janelle

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 6:26 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    One of the few honestly good punk releases so far in 2003. Now all i need is the new social d. ( but this will do for now)-oldpunker-

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 2:30 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    To each his own.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 2:16 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Best thing on Hellcat? Any validity this review might have had is gone.
    Ill agree with Scott that this album does nothing.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 1:51 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Yeah........I heard the album early on and bought it today. I definitely would have mentioned the artwork, it's killer, I love how it makes fast food look like what it is- a disgusting sickness. Anyway, thanks.

    Posted by moldy on 2003-03-25 01:49:09
    My Score:

    this is one of the best cds i have heard in a long time, as soon as i get the cash im buying the rest of the cds. very brutal intense music that doesnt let up, but you left out the creepy artwork which is cool too, it looks like a pencil sketch of a nightmare with alot of fastfood icons turned into monsters and shit good stuff. albini out did himself yet again

    Posted by pope_schlomo on 2003-03-25 01:46:23
    My Score:

    Brandon always rights good reviews...anyway, I haven't heard the album but here it goes in my chronological order for F:

    1st album- ok
    2nd album- good

    So in summary this should be the new hotness.

    Ramo

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 1:36 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    you could have mentioned the fuckface you produced this record. But he really isnt worth a paragraph.
    -patemo

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 1:19 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Oh yeah.......and "A Transformation" was changed to "Paid To Listen" at the last minute. I just actually bought it today so you can change that bit of info in my review thank you.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 1:17 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    No....it was written by him, but the vocals are from F-Minus.

    Posted by shindo on 2003-03-25 01:15:39
    My Score:

    and Barking Dog has vocals from Gabba from Chaos UK I believe

    adam

    Posted by shindo on 2003-03-25 01:13:33
    My Score:

    I, on the other hand, loved this album. Woo!

    adam

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 25, 2003 at 1:13 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    thats becouse your a bitch. Just kidding man. You either love them or hate them.

    Posted by maverick on 2003-03-25 01:06:42
    My Score:

    This album was just white noise to me. It affected me in absolutely no way at all. I apparently don't get it.

    -Scott