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Punishment

Broken But Not Dead (2003)
Thorp Records

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on October 14th 2003

Meh.

I just got done watching my beloved Penguins come back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the Flyers, so I guess it’s only fitting to talk about another group from Philly who fall short of the mark. Punishment is your basic metal-tinged quasi-tough guy hardcore band. You know the drill: growled vocals, plenty of chugga chugga, some double bass kicks, etc. They don’t really do anything to set them apart from a hundred other bands doing the same thing. Not that a band has to be groundbreaking or totally original to be good, but they at least need to be interesting or dynamic, and Punishment is neither.

The songs on “Broken But Not Dead” just seem to run together, like one big song with a lot of breakdowns. I’ll often listen to CDs when I’m laying in bed at night so I can hear them without being distracted by other things, it’s not abnormal for me to fall asleep every now and then, but this time I couldn’t make it past the third track. I must’ve listen this a half dozen times, just trying to pick out some points of interest, but it never happened. I’m not saying I hate this CD, and I don’t want to seem like I’m simply intent on bashing this band into oblivion, but this album did nothing for me

Back in the mid-nineties, in what I would call the heyday of tough guy hardcore, you could hear a ton of bands who sounded just like this. The problem is, it’s not the mid-nineties anymore, and Punishment sound anything but fresh. Still, this band is relatively new and they should have plenty of time to expand upon their sound.

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Anonymous (May 24, 2004)

Damn I gave them the wrong rating? Anyways, the dudes legal name is now "JOE HARDCORE " and no one seems to argue with him about it. The thing on the East Coast is to adopt your band name as your own. Look at RICK TALIFE AKA RICKMART from 25?

Anonymous (May 24, 2004)

Yo, this is not a bad album at all for all the shit these boys have been through. I have never met Joe, but I have had the privelage of playing drums in an old band with Punishments new drummer and Joes lifelong friend. This guy talks about Joe like he is a brother and I cant wait to meet him when they come throgh Cali in July. Besides that, Thorp will have these boys kickin out the good shit on their next CD, just watch!!!

Anonymous (October 30, 2003)

i think the whole point of the band is to keep that old school style alive. i like em. Besides, their drummer is 14 years old and the bass player is 15 and they have both been in the hardcore scene for about 6 years. They are already veterans. Besides, they are nice as shit and they are great live. Only gonna get better.

Anonymous (October 16, 2003)

i don't know for sure, but i highly doubt he woke up one morning and told everyone to start calling him joe hardcore. either way punishment is still better than most every band you listen to. is any toughguy really ground breaking? get your heads out of your asses

CallingLondon (October 16, 2003)

is his "joe hardcore" in the punishment?

and yes, that is a super gay name. that guy should be kicked in the balls for coming up iwth it.

Anonymous (October 15, 2003)

joe hardcore is not super nice. joe hardcore is the biggest dipshit i've ever met in my life. take every bad tough-guy hardcore kid cliche you can think of and roll them all into one and you get that guy. here's his moronic, uninteresting, hardcore album. take all the tough guy hardcore you've heard before and imagine it less interesting and you get this band. THEY FUCKING SUCK. the end. oh, and just because he'd beat you up if you made fun of him to his face doesn't make him cool. he's still an idiot with the dumbest stage name ever.

Anonymous (October 15, 2003)

joe hardcore is actually in the afi video

Anonymous (October 15, 2003)

joe hardcore has a tattoo in his motherfucking ear. he can eat your soul. it may sound like a cheesey nickname, but im pretty sure he is the definition of "hardcore" not necessarily in the musical sense, but just in general. toughest dude alive. but hes also super nice. not the best band, but great guys. with tough tattoos.

Anonymous (October 14, 2003)

yeah i must say, joe hardcore would kill 5 times before you even said his name was dumb

Anonymous (October 14, 2003)

their live show, as well as this cd are insane. fuck the naysayers. i'd like to see you call joe hardcore gay to his face.

Icapped2pac (October 14, 2003)

"Joe Hardcore of Punishment helped them get hooked up with their record label."

You MUST be kidding me. That's the gayest stage name since Davey Havok. No way I'd give somebody named Joe Hardcore a chance.

Anonymous (October 14, 2003)

Damn I keep forgetting...anyway that interview is by me, Janelle.

Anonymous (October 14, 2003)

Check out Blood In/Blood Out - the band, NOT the movie.
Joe Hardcore of Punishment helped them get hooked up with their record label.

Here's an interview with them if anyone's so inclined:

http://rebelnoise.com/viewinterview.php?id=32&PHPSES SID=c8cf600cd16d44ec11446b8d798f711e