Throwdown

Throwdown: VendettaVendetta (2005)
Trustkill Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

Contributed by: pwfanaticpwfanatic
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on July 1st 2005Hardcore bands are the easiest things to hype in music right now. You can take any band out there and tell your friend it is the heaviest thing he has ever heard, only to find a new band the next week that owns that title, and so on and so forth. Throwdown are exactly one of those bands. This So-Cal.

Hardcore bands are the easiest things to hype in music right now. You can take any band out there and tell your friend it is the heaviest thing he has ever heard, only to find a new band the next week that owns that title, and so on and so forth. Throwdown are exactly one of those bands. This So-Cal straight-edge moshcore group spends their entire lives brutalizing anyone that stands in their way, and they do it with a growing efficiency with each new album.

Their new album Vendetta is chalk full of heartfelt, growling lyrics over some absurdly infectious guitar hooks. In their previous albums, Throwdown wasn't necessarily trying to escape mediocrity, but their music was just too simplistic. This time around, they have taken a bit more of a metal approach, but not enough of one to make this anything but hardcore. The one thing that stand out are the lyrics, which although filled with anger and rage, aren't just angsty because that is the cool thing to do. There is a conviction here and it somehow emerges through the constant growling and screaming. There is a definite straight-edge tinge here, but Throwdown, unlike many other straight-edge groups, still makes it accessible by avoiding an overt preaching tone to the album. Even someone like me who consumes alcohol at any and every given moment can still relate to these lyrics.

Granted, if you are also like me, then you don't exactly listen to this genre of music for the lyrics, but more for the sheer adrenaline rush that comes from the constant blasts of explosive noise. Vendetta incorporates plenty more catchy guitar hooks this time around that still retain a heavy moshcore sound. The album is chalk full of delicious power riffs that make you want to gorilla punch the world into oblivion. There is no musical ingenuity here, but there doesn't need to be.

Throwdown isn't trying to be much more than a looming presence in the hardcore world. Vendetta won't come remotely close to changing the state of the scene, but it will give the foundation another boost for hardcore to stand on.

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.

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

killshot68 (January 27, 2010)

Haha I think that the guy below me demonstrates perfectly why so many of us hate Throwdown and its fans. This guy is the archetypal illiterate thug-core devotee. Go listen to All Out War for a couple more years and come back when you've grown out of that dreck.

diabetes tratamiento

Anonymous (March 22, 2006)

Throwdown was good 4 years ago!!!!
they could not suck anymore ass now!!
you couldnt pay me to go to their show now.

GlassPipeMurder (January 10, 2006)

i'm not a huge fan of this kind of music, but Throwdown does it well.

thejewvolta (December 22, 2005)

Hey!Guess What Guys!?!?!
HARDCORE IS FOR FAGS!!
THROWDOWN FUCKING SUCKS
AND SO DOES AS I LAY CRYING

Anonymous (December 4, 2005)

i dont hate bands like this but i dont call them hardcore. Listen to this and then put in like Minor Threat or something and it dont sound nothing alike. But i do like the music anyways so w/e.

Anonymous (August 24, 2005)

You're not getting anything new or genre splitting here, it's Throwdown doing what it does best, destroy stuff. These guys consistently do the two-step into breakdown in their songs, but they just so happen to do it better than most bands.
One of the best bands I've seen live, they're doing what's expected of them. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. But i personally will listen to this cd until it is worn the fuck out.

rainbow-trash (August 23, 2005)

I'm not wearing my camo shorts right now but I like Throwdown nonetheless. Hahah. I saw them a couple weeks ago and they were really good.

And who the hell honestly cares if they got caught with weed?

Russe11 (July 31, 2005)

hardcore and metal do not come hand in hand. Period.

Anonymous (July 26, 2005)

nu-metal bollocks.

give bane and comeback kid a try instead.

TABKAT (July 20, 2005)

I find these comments pretty funny. Some people think they are such hardcore-punkers. I have loved punk for a very long time. I love old-school punk the most!! With that being said, I also love the new influences and styles from today. I really like this Throwdown album. I also love Hatebreed. Being hardcore punk is so much more than how you dress. One person commented on when respect became a part of hardcore music. To answer that-- it always has been. You don't have to LIKE me, but you will RESPECT me!!

Anonymous (July 14, 2005)

if you compare the sound to casey jones or agnostic front i would'nt call throwdown "hardcore" but i would'nt call it "metal" either. while we are at it fuck labels anyway. what kind of a person are you? is there a nice simple label that fully defines you? vendetta has an excellent fusion of sounds, hardcore and heavy metal (pantera style) that is really great. i really like this album. my music library has room for metallica right next to minor threat and my pantera albums are followed closey by pennywise. great music is great music period.

have a nice fucking day.

Anonymous (July 12, 2005)

and you're speaking for the hardcore community you homophobic asshole? why dont you listen to pantera and go lift some weights, nobody wants to hear homophobia here.

Anonymous (July 11, 2005)

SHITTY CD- sounds like every band that says they're "hardcore." Nothing special here....unless you like cliched lyrics and generic metal riffs.

Anonymous (July 11, 2005)

throwdown isn't hardcore. they can go take their metal influenced shitcore and go act all tough. no one here even knows what hardcore is/was about anymore. faggots.

Anonymous (July 11, 2005)

what the hell, on that top five straight edge list, you dont put earth crisis on there? the fuckin hardest straight edge band of all fuckin time? also minor threat a notable band left off that list. and just my opinion, speak 714, those guys fuckin rock.

by the way, the new throwdown cd is fuckin hard and kicks ass. much improvement from haymaker

Anonymous (July 10, 2005)

Anonymous (July 8, 2005)

i say who ever says this album is shitty then your dumb. im sorry you can only listen to hardcore and not metal. thats sad, exspand you listening perspective. so what if throwdown came out with a cd that grew close to hardcore, its unic. they play what they like and who gives afuck if its not pure hardcore, still better then anything you've ever produced. i garentee that people will listen to this album more then any other throwdown album for years to come, its called progression. now progress your standerds ass hole. metal and hardcore go hand in hand. if your blind and can't see that then you need to get a curb cheak and realize that metal and hardcore will always be around, and it just so happens that metal has been here alot longer then hardcore. as much as i love hardcore i will bet the hardcore scene dies, and metal will still be strong.

peace love and slayer......trevorcore

Anonymous (July 8, 2005)

Anonymous (July 6, 2005)

Can't people write some fucking meaningful comments!?!? It's all mindless stupid shit full of hate and disgust...... makes me really think twice about some of these people that listen to this type of music and are part of the scene.

I like vendetta, if you like tough guy hardcore, this record is for you. There is a metal edge to it that shows influences of pantera and hatebreed on it which makes it sound a little more menacing than some related hardcore bands like Terror, or Casey Jones. Overall Throwdown puts out a good album which I expands and has more depth than their last. Can't say it's a influential, or great hardcore album but their they are making a presence in the scene.

mikeinflames (July 5, 2005)

met the guys from Throwdown yesterday at SOTU
they were rad as shit

they are most likely better human beings than any of you punk ass internet losers will ever be

punkcorekid (July 5, 2005)

this album is gay. they're not a hardcore band.

chain of strength should be number one straight edge album.

i like hatebreed, what's everybody's problem with them?

Anonymous (July 5, 2005)

"I knew some cunt would get all pissy because minor threat wasn't on that list. Go fucking die."

Is that the only reason you didn't put them on the list? Deep down, you know it's #1.

Anonymous (July 5, 2005)

victory is a metal label haha and they suck ass

moneenerd (July 4, 2005)

"I knew some cunt would get all pissy because minor threat wasn't on that list. Go fucking die."

Youre just mad cuz you like Hatebreed.

Anonymous (July 4, 2005)

I hate these type of bands, they all sound the same and its not very good at all.

yayforapathy (July 4, 2005)

Quick question..... what ever happened to that band Vendetta Red that had that really catchy song "Shatterday", are they still around?

Oh, and metal sucks.

Anonymous (July 3, 2005)

I listened to the cover of baby got back that throwdown did, it fuckin rips. score is for that.

Anonymous (July 3, 2005)

As a non-edge kid, i gotta say the best edge stuff is from What Happens Next, as they promote the edge thing, but talk about how there are far more important issues at hand today rather than who drinks and who does not. Check out their song "to define, not divide" .

-Ken

Anonymous (July 3, 2005)

metal fuck off

Anonymous (July 3, 2005)

I knew some cunt would get all pissy because minor threat wasn't on that list. Go fucking die.

moneenerd (July 3, 2005)

"Plus I heard they got caught with weed!"

Acttually, i read that they once had border troubles because a vehicle right infront of them got caught with weed.

moneenerd (July 3, 2005)

Top 5 best straight edge releases ever.
1. Bold -speak out
2. DYS-Brotherhood
3. Insted-Bonds of friendship
4. Champion-Promises kept
5. Judge-That discography thing...

--------------------------------------------
Minor Threat isn't on this list? Are you kidding me?

Anchors (July 3, 2005)

I've never liked this band, but they do have one thing going for them;

Their name isn't On Broken Wings.

I swear to God, next kid I see in a MOSH zip up is getting a 5'9" 140 lb beating a fucking lifetime.

pwfanatic (July 3, 2005)

wow. people are putting a lot more effort into hating these guys then i did to halfway enjoy them.

pastepunk (July 2, 2005)

Top 5 best straight edge releases ever.
1. Bold -speak out
2. DYS-Brotherhood
3. Insted-Bonds of friendship
4. Champion-Promises kept
5. Judge-That discography thing...

--

Umm... Champion over MINOR THREAT?!?

crazytoledo (July 2, 2005)

Haymaker was better.

Yes I said it...

Anonymous (July 2, 2005)

Top 5 best straight edge releases ever.
1. Bold -speak out
2. DYS-Brotherhood
3. Insted-Bonds of friendship
4. Champion-Promises kept
5. Judge-That discography thing...

Anonymous (July 2, 2005)

Not bad.
Not good either.
But i'm used to swimming in mediocrity.

sickboi (July 2, 2005)

Then I apologize. My assumption was that you were further perpetuating the stereotype.

Carry on.

Anonymous (July 2, 2005)

Sickboi, I feel neither here nor there about Throwdown. My friends all listen to different music than me.

What I was making fun of was that this person posted that Throwdown fans all wear camo shorts and white shirts, and a guy evidently missed the point that that's not a cool thing.

So what if I often vocalize my preference for older bands? There's a difference in musical quality I believe one such as yourself can't deny.

-BSD

sickboi (July 2, 2005)

"You missed the part where you're supposed to feel like the predictable clone you are."

Don't you have some Greg Ginn inspired jerking off to do, junior? And before you start with the Hatebreed jokes, I'll spare you the time.

Maybe when you grow up a little, move out of mom and dad's house, you'll realize that people like what they like for a reason. If they are an asshole, fine call them out. But I like Hatebreed, some Throwdown; but also love Black Flag, Minor Threat and A LOT of other music.

Perhaps if you weren't so hell-bent on impressing others with your vast musical knowledge and just sat back and enjoyed life and (the very few, I assume) friends you have, you wouldn't be such a bitter little troll.

Anonymous (July 2, 2005)

Fucking fake hardcore diluting the scene. Throwdown need to fuck off to Ozzfest where they belong and stay there.

Anonymous (July 2, 2005)

"2) Do they really spend their entire lives brutalizing anyone that stands in their way? Do they? So if they were crossing the street and there was an old lady walking a bit slowly in front of them (and hence in their way) would they brutalize her? Or if they were at McDonalds and they were at the back of the line would they brutalize everyone in front of them because they were in their way? Would they?

3) How the fuck do you go about brutalizing someone anyway?"

best post ever

Anonymous (July 2, 2005)

""If you like Throwdown I'll bet you 50 bucks that you're wearing camo shorts and a white t-shirt at this very moment"

hahahaha thats jokes cause its true...i'm wearing camo shorts and a black shirt. pretty sick."

You missed the part where you're supposed to feel like the predictable clone you are.

-BSD

Anonymous (July 2, 2005)

bizzlebrizzle (July 2, 2005)

Shitty metal band!

Started out as a joke, then took themselves to seriously and really became a joke.

Plus I heard they got caught with weed!

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

"If you like Throwdown I'll bet you 50 bucks that you're wearing camo shorts and a white t-shirt at this very moment"

hahahaha thats jokes cause its true...i'm wearing camo shorts and a black shirt. pretty sick.

etwiels88 (July 1, 2005)

This is one of those bands that you don't like on record, but love in concert.

Albums ok. Haymaker was worth a couple listens though.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

bad review

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

too punk for you

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

so many fucking morons on this site....fuck you all....go listen to rancid..

jamespastepunk (July 1, 2005)

Hahahahaha, sorry dude, but that comment was so fucking cheesey.

Don't apologize. You're right, iIt is cheesy, it is trite, but that doesn't make it any less true.

You can whine or you can do something about it, and I'll take the latter over the former any day of the week.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

this is worlds better than haymaker, but nothing will hold a candle to the earlier stuff when keith sang and the band didnt take themselves seriously.

this new record sounds like pantera, which makes it good.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

these dudes are kinda like mcdonalds. you eat it when you want something simple, quick, psuedo-tasty and mindless.

if you want a 5 star restaurant where you can enjoy every aspect of the meal, you go to somewhere like His Hero Is Gone, Kylesa or Dystopia.

Archangel (July 1, 2005)

I'd like to second sicboi's comment.

sickboi (July 1, 2005)

"Get back up on your feet and fight what holds you down."

Hahahahaha, sorry dude, but that comment was so fucking cheesey.

jamespastepunk (July 1, 2005)

Say what you will, Burn is catchy. And at least its positive. I'm so sick of look at me I'm so tortured shit. Get back up on your feet and fight what holds you down.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

"chalk full"

that's

"chock full".

moneenerd (July 1, 2005)

The reason these Throwdown cats are sXe at all is so they can save up money for their 400$ Paul Frank and other overpriced name brand outfits.

moneenerd (July 1, 2005)

"If you like Throwdown I'll bet you 50 bucks that you're wearing camo shorts and a white t-shirt at this very moment"

I am and I HATE THROWDOWN!

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

"Better than amjority of hardcore bands."

Better than Bane? No. Better than Comeback Kid? No. Better than Champion? No. Better than Modern Life Is War? No. Better than Blue Monday? No. And so on and so forth.

Throwdown is terrible. An insult to the genre, in my opinion.

benz (July 1, 2005)

I never liked Throwdown. They seem like typical mosh metal hardcore, with no real depth or decent songwriting behind their music. Whats a good song to listen to that could potentially change the mind of someone who hates Throwdown? I mean, I don't like them, but its not like I gave them a big chance.

-benz

recordings (July 1, 2005)

i thought this album was actually quite good if youre a fan of real heavy stuff. as aubin mentioned, there is a lot of pantera and hatebreed influences showing. but to me, this is a good thing.

i think a lot of people jump to conclusions about this band simply because of *forever* from haymaker. this disc never flat out mentions "striaght edge" if thats whats bothering people. if anything i think the lyrics have taken a large step up since their previous album, where "fuck" was just about every other word.

nice album. only real weak point i found was annhilation, which went a little long for me.

bizzlebrizzle (July 1, 2005)

Throwdown != Hardcore

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

Prefer the likes of Agnostic Front and Hatebreed to this, being honest. I don't like the song "Burn" at all.

Joe

ElVaquero (July 1, 2005)

moshcore = tough guy hardcore

take bane. now take everything you like about them and throw it away. now you have tough guy.

Inspection12e (July 1, 2005)

This band is terrible.

inagreendase (July 1, 2005)

1) What the fuck is moshcore?

Don't act dumb, it's obviously any modern hardcore band who could fall under the Terror/Throwdown heading due to excessive breakdowns.

sickboi (July 1, 2005)

Wow. Aubin, I got the same feeling. I've never been a fan of this guys, but listened to this last night and it stuck. Sounds to me like a mix between Pantera and Hatebreed.

aubin (July 1, 2005)

People are so fixated on the, uhm, macho nature of their fanbase, that they rarely actually listen to this band. I was not too impressed with Haymaker, but this album has a great Vulgar Display of Power thing going, and Dave Peters does a great job channeling Phil Anselmo.

It's certainly breakdown-heavy metalcore, and I'd probably get my ass kicked at a show, but I like it anyway.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

this is the only throwdown album i like
it's a pretty decent album

you people should stop trying to be cool and give it a listen

sickboi (July 1, 2005)

That song "Burn" is pretty dope.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

"This So-Cal straight-edge moshcore group spends their entire lives brutalizing anyone that stands in their way"

1) What the fuck is moshcore?

2) Do they really spend their entire lives brutalizing anyone that stands in their way? Do they? So if they were crossing the street and there was an old lady walking a bit slowly in front of them (and hence in their way) would they brutalize her? Or if they were at McDonalds and they were at the back of the line would they brutalize everyone in front of them because they were in their way? Would they?

3) How the fuck do you go about brutalizing someone anyway?

fallingupwards84 (July 1, 2005)

fuck this band

theundergroundscene (July 1, 2005)

this is pretty horrible

Jesse (July 1, 2005)

This shit is an absolute mockery of what hardcore music used to mean. Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Brains – none of them were chump-monkeys preaching "respect." This is bad, bad stuff.

pastepunk (July 1, 2005)

"If you like Throwdown I'll bet you 50 bucks that you're wearing camo shorts and a white t-shirt at this very moment"

-- I'm wearing a shirt, tie, and slacks. You know, so I can mosh it up at the office.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

moshcore blows a donkey ball

lou (July 1, 2005)

"I heard from most Throwdown fans that this shit is crap."

maybe it's cause it's 4:15am, but the redundancy of shit being crap made me laugh.

ElVaquero (July 1, 2005)

How does anything released on Trustkill get more than a three?

johnnydanger (July 1, 2005)

this sucks

pwfanatic (July 1, 2005)

"If you like Throwdown I'll bet you 50 bucks that you're wearing camo shorts and a white t-shirt at this very moment"

sorta close. i am wearing green shorts. but i am wearing a blue vandals shirt.

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

How can anyone like this trash?

Archangel (July 1, 2005)

Score is for the stupid video for and lyrics to "Forever".

CaveatMalefactor (July 1, 2005)

so bad

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

If you like Throwdown I'll bet you 50 bucks that you're wearing camo shorts and a white t-shirt at this very moment

Anonymous (July 1, 2005)

oh the metalheads are crawling out their holes right now, well fuck em all

moneenerd (July 1, 2005)

I heard from most Throwdown fans that this shit is crap. So i'm wondering if maybe non-Throwdown fans will enjoy it? I'll give it a shot. HAYMAKER was a fucking joke though... I find it hard to take a band of hardcore kids that wear excessive Paul Frank clothing seriously.

crazytoledo (July 1, 2005)

you've typed just as much words with those few lines...

scores for your 'word's posts on like all reviews

stevejonestherealbones (July 1, 2005)

i dont even want to listen to throwdown, why do you think i would wanna read all these words and shit?

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

crazytoledo (July 1, 2005)

Better than amjority of hardcore bands.

Props for that.