Hot Water Music

Hot Water Music: Fuel For The Hate GameFuel For The Hate Game (1996)
No Idea Records

Reviewer Rating: 5

User Rating:

Contributed by: JesseJesse
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on December 19th 2003I was going through the archives of this site, and I am absolutely apalled at the lack of a review for this CD. I was at Warped Tour a few years ago (four, I think), and I saw Hot Water Music play. I was blown away by their sound (mind you, this was when I was a huge Saves the Day fan and was conv.

I was going through the archives of this site, and I am absolutely apalled at the lack of a review for this CD. I was at Warped Tour a few years ago (four, I think), and I saw Hot Water Music play. I was blown away by their sound (mind you, this was when I was a huge Saves the Day fan and was convinced that they were still "underground"). While the Hot Water Music was still playing, I high-tailed it to the merch booth to pick up some sounds from them. I asked the merch guy which was the best CD (for there were a wide assortment of them) and he pointed out "Fuel For the Hate Game."

This CD blew me away. The musicianship is absolutely amazing. Both guitars work in tandem to form beautiful chords and interesting riffs. The bass lines are insane bordering on keeping the anchor to the chords to leading the melodies to harmonizing with intricate chords. This album to this day still has some of my favorite drumming. Heavy and driving, yet refined and planned carefully. What truly gets me is the dueling half-sung shouts/hardcore vocals that tend to harmonize. It's what makes this band unique.

A true gem on this CD is Blackjaw, a 3/4 rocker that features one of the sickest bass lines shadowing slightly dissonant chords. The breakdown features amazing drum fills that complement the music as much as they add to it. Other greats include 220 Years, Turnstile, The Sleeping Fan, and Facing and Backing, but in general, this whole album rips.

This album doesn't feel like most other Hot Water Music, and the tempos as well as dynamics are much more varied. This CD is definately in my top ten, and I base most of my modern music opinions on it. Without this CD, I probably wouldn't listen to hardcore at all today.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

devianter (November 15, 2010)

http://www.amazon.com/Fuel-Hate-Game-Water-Music/dp/B00000IFQ3/r ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1289832979&sr=8-1
it's available since 1998..

dangermolotovarmstrong (September 11, 2010)

does anyone know if this album will ever be available on cd? i've looked all over amazon, interpunk and the no idea site but it's only on lp.

eatdogs (October 4, 2009)

these guys define "orgcore" for me. this is my favorite album by them.

Fighting-In-The-Dojo (May 22, 2009)

I love this album and I'm finding it difficult to get something else that matches up to it. I love it for the unusual yet stil punk as fuck guitar parts, awesome basslines & tone and the raw emotion in the vocals. Any recommendations?

Along similar lines I'm really into their split with Leatherface, more recent Propagandhi (TETA onwards, really), Against Me! (last album I really liked by them was Cowboy), Black Sails by AFI and anything by Fugazi.

Thanks!

hamonrye (March 26, 2009)

Yeeeeeeeeeee

spoon_of_grimbo (February 22, 2009)

nobody ever mentions how awesome "difference engine" is, despite it sounding for all the world like it was stolen from fugazi. also, this is my second favourite HWM album after caution.

Will_StrungOut (January 27, 2008)

Too many people think Forever and Counting and No Division are the best. This one's the best methinks..great vocals, drumming, hooks, energy, way more than the aforementioned ones.

Unfortunately, it does trail off towards the end haha..Rock Singer is almost funny and can't really be saved by a nice bassline, but it ends well with Drunken Third.

Anonymous (April 28, 2004)

I can't believe one of you guys can even compare a piece of crap MTV band such as New Found Glory to a band as great as the Alkaline Trio. You must really be deaf to not be able to listen to the great lyrics on each album especially their earlier albums. You would really have to be ignorant to call New Found Glory good song writers. The only thing they're good at is singing like the Backstreet Boys.

Anonymous (February 11, 2004)

"Thrice...well no one likes them, except Thrice=god."

No one likes them? hm. Tell that to the folks over at MTV. Let's face it, HWM, against me!, and the clash are the ONLY bands that will ever matter.

allogistic (December 26, 2003)

i totally fucking agree with the last comment, i mean, come on, "tell me about your first kiss" opposed to fuck, you could even pick any lyric off of good mourning and it would still kick nfg's ass. and uh, did it ever occure to anyone that skiba might have written two guitar riffs, therefore, he would need a second guitarist to give maximum hearing pleasure.

KingOfRain (December 25, 2003)

Wtf has NFG written that's worth a shit?

Anonymous (December 25, 2003)

wow i have five hwm cds
fuel for the hate game
caution
no division
a flight and a crash
forever and counting
i think they are all good, i mean sure caution is a little more "alternative," but its still a good cd. i dont have a favorite out of these. and oh yeh i also own 2 thrice cds, and 4 alkaline trio, and i think all 3 bands are good, i dont see what all this bitching is about, just listen to the music i mean come on

GreenVandal (December 24, 2003)

Thrice is so much better then Alkaline Trio that it is almost laughable. If you like Alkaline Trio, then you have a unfortunate problem...you like a band that New Found Glory can literally write circles around. thats a sad thing.

Just because hes a drunken idiot doesnt make it good. It just makes it pop punk played by a drunken idiot.

Jesse (December 24, 2003)

The one below was from me. I forgot I wasn't signed in.

Anonymous (December 24, 2003)

Alkaline Trio can't even play their own music anymore. When they tour, they need a 4th person to play offstage because Skiba is too fucked up to even play his own music. Not to mention they're not that good anyway. Alkaline Trio = overrated.

KingOfRain (December 23, 2003)

I'd like to add I'm getting this album for christmas. So there.

KingOfRain (December 23, 2003)

Whoa. Fuck off. Alkaline Trio did nothing to hurt you friend, leave them be. You suck, HWM and Alkaline Trio rule. Thrice...well no one likes them, except Thrice=god.

Jesse (December 23, 2003)

The fact that you're excited to see Alkaline Trio and Thrice sums up why you prefer Caution. Because both those bands suck.

Anonymous (December 23, 2003)

I think you're all homos

Anonymous (December 23, 2003)

Nup, you're wrong Jesse, Caution is great, as is Trusty Chords. The song "Its all related" and "the Bitter End" are my fav HWM tunes. Can't wait to see these guys when they come to OZ in '04 with Alkaline Trio and Thrice. I live in Perth, which is on the west coast, and am travelling some 1200km to see them on the East coast in Melbourne. How punk rock is that??
Haha, I'm so excited right now

-bemused-

Jesse (December 22, 2003)

Caution is a terrible record. You say you want songs that don't sound alike. With Caution, every song has the same tempo, and plays off of two different things - a main riff, and a crappy high solo line. Not to mention crap poppy songs like Trusty Chords and that other one that I forget the title to, but in all fairness, "we were tenderly (something), and it was cold as hell." Just as this CD was a disapointment, and that song was shit. This score remains for Fuel For the Hate Game. And No Division is pretty good too.

Anonymous (December 22, 2003)

broken rekids put out a fuel discography that's pretty cool

Anonymous (December 22, 2003)

This album is narrrrly. You guys are wackjobs.

cdogg (December 22, 2003)

I love you HWM, but I'm sorry Fuel for the Hate Game...I only like you as a friend. It's not you FFTHG, it's me. I've met three other albums- No Division, Caution, and Forever and Counting. They showed me how great HWM can be when all their songs don't sound the same. You're still great compared to most albums out there, and I like you, but I'm not "in like" with you. I hope it won't be awkward the next time I see you when I'm picking out one of the other HWM CDs from my collection to listen to.

Sincerely,
C-Dogg

REALPUNX4LIFE (December 22, 2003)

I'm amazed at how dumb some of you people are. No Division is one of the worst records I've heard. A Flight and a Crash and Caution both knock the shit out of that record and even those records are pretty bad. Everyone knows that the best three Hot Water Music records are the first three, in order of release, even if Finding the Rhythms wasn't REALLY an album but a collection of other songs. But seriously, that's the best one. Fuel for the Hate Game is their best "real" album, though. Duh.

dignin (December 22, 2003)

where can I check out this Fuel band, all that comes up on Kazaa is the crappy Fuel.

Anonymous (December 22, 2003)

this record as well as Forever and Counting is HWM at its best. Also the split with Tomorrow is rad as well as the Boy out of Bradeton 7"

dignin (December 22, 2003)

"Bar none these guys are the best band reviewed on here. Im actually a little embarrased that these guys are reviewed on this site. Its kinda an insult, dont ya think? They rock. Bar none they are awesome. Fuck the rest of this website."

"bar none" your comment is the most annoying on the thread.

Anonymous (December 22, 2003)

I finally recieved my "Moments Pass" 7". When i first picked up the Moonpies for Misfits ep 4 years ago, the guitar part for the opening song always gave me a buzz. Still does to this day

Barkley

Icapped2pac (December 21, 2003)

The guy below me has that one dead on, that album blows.

Anonymous (December 21, 2003)

"Also, no love for Finding the Rhythms? No one mentioned it yet..."

cause that record is TERRIBLE! i have great love for HWM, but that one just makes me cringe...

Anonymous (December 21, 2003)

Bar none these guys are the best band reviewed on here. Im actually a little embarrased that these guys are reviewed on this site. Its kinda an insult, dont ya think? They rock. Bar none they are awesome. Fuck the rest of this website.

Anonymous (December 21, 2003)

trusty chords is the best fucking HWM song!!!

Anonymous (December 21, 2003)

Im glad to have been part of what "Drunken Third" is about... The Hardback in Gainesville sure provided many an awesome nights.

at_the_drive_in_21 (December 21, 2003)

I gotta say Alachua is my fav. HWM song, as it was the first I ever heard and it got me hooked. No Division gets best album, then FFTHG and F&C. Just my 2 cents.
Also, no love for Finding the Rhythms? No one mentioned it yet...

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

I beg to differ with the last comment. HWM SUCKS! Baaaaaaaaaam! Seriously, the only good band to come out of Florida is NFG.

stratmanx (December 20, 2003)

I think this is a first, we all agree that HWM is good.

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

in song owns you.

Icapped2pac (December 20, 2003)

Solid album. However, I think "Rock Singer" is one of HWM's misses that they always seem to have at least one of on every album (see "In Song" and "Call It TRashing"). Other than that though, every song on this disc rips. My band in college covered "Turnstile", and holy shit is that fun to play. I put this 3rd in their catalogue, behind F&C and ND, but slightly ahead of Caution.

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

i love this album... as well as all the other HWM albums. definitely a 10

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

this was the first hwm disc i bought, so i do tend to like it better than no division. this disc also led me to purchase most of thier discs.

Jesse (December 20, 2003)

The most interesting thing is that I haven't heard No Division yet, and that I have my brother's copy about to be played soon in my CD player just when I read the comment about it being better. We'll see, give it time, and we'll see.

funkisdead (December 20, 2003)

This band is fantabulous.
Jesse is the shit.

FortyMinutesWest (December 20, 2003)

I was going through the archives and I couldn't believe that no one had ever made a comment like this, so here it is.

notfeelingcreative (December 20, 2003)

Good album. I, however agree with the person below, it doesn't touch "No Division!"

Jesse (December 20, 2003)

The reason I was surprised that it wasn't in the archives was that almost every other HWM CD was.

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

"I was going through the archives of this punknews.org, and I was appalled at the lack of a review for Barry Manilow's classic new album 'A Christmas Gift Of Love'. That this work of genius can be left off the site is ridiculous."

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

hwm actually sounds like leatherface, hence the hwm/leatherface split

dignin (December 20, 2003)

maybe I should go through the archives and review albums based on the fact that I WAS NOT surprised to see it was not in the archives, like that Aqua band who sang "barbie girl".

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

I was going through the archives and couldn't believe that so many reviews of older CD's start out with the line "I was going through the archives and couldn't believe..." (or some form of that) It's just crazy!!

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

HWM sounds like Fuel (who played in the late 1980s/early 1990s).

8dollarclarinetsolo (December 20, 2003)

i never really got why this was considered the best hwm album, i go with no division personally, but this is definetely great, blackjaw as well is my favorite here

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

my fav HWM album.

Ramo

exhaustra (December 20, 2003)

neither, they both ripped off samiam.

Anonymous (December 20, 2003)

does hot water msuic sound like fuel or does fuel sound like hot water music?

Anonymous (December 19, 2003)

*not be living... ha i should be murdered for typing errors. but yea, this should be your favorite band.

Anonymous (December 19, 2003)

this band can do no wrong. anybody who thinks they can is dumb and should most likely be living.

Anonymous (December 19, 2003)

drunken third is my fav HWM song, but i'll have to for forever & counting as their best overall album.

hungryjoe (December 19, 2003)

For me, "Trademark" has always been THE defining HWM song. But I think this is the type of CD that everyone will have a different favourite from.

Anonymous (December 19, 2003)

I really like this album, but as I've pointed out before it sounds EXACTLY like Fuel (the punk band, not the alt. rock band). I only make the point again because Fuel's "Monuments to Excess" has become one of my favorite albums and I'd like to see them get some more credit.

sickboi (December 19, 2003)

Turnstile is their best song ever.

Man, new reviews form HWM and KD....I love you all.