Break It Up

Who knew England was breeding such a solid hardcore scene? First Walk the Plank, and now their label-mates, the even better Break It Up. Offering their brand new full length No Sides, these pissed Brits are poised to show this side of the pond how to make a fantastic hardcore record.

Much like Mike Tyson, their style is impetuous, their defense is impregnable, and they’re just ferocious.

They come at you hard, and they come at you often; for the 21 minutes this album plays for there is not a single solitary second wasted. They don’t know how to slow down, they don’t know how to relent, it’s an all out sensory attack for thirteen solid songs. The band's vocalist, known only as Sid, has a delivery that’s equal parts passion and urgency, his call-to-arms-like shouting always rising above. His powerful words are easily deciphered, making them have just that much more impact than before. The lyrical themes may stay simple, but for this kind of music it’s much better that they’re curt and right to the point.

And with more than half the songs not even coming to the two-minute mark, right to the point is what they are.

The guitar work here is some of the more impressive I’ve heard on a hardcore record in quite some time. It’s raw, gritty, and hard-hitting just the same. The levels of distortion used are absolutely perfect, and the production on it only helps to accent that raw, dirty feel. The bass is thick and vibrant, the drum fills resonate over and over again, and the sporadic soloing put into songs like “F.Y.A.” is absolutely top notch. Even better is the final song, “Real Deal,” in which the guitar work is nothing short of phenomenal, and the gang vocals at the end feel so full of vigor and passion that you can’t help but pump your fist and angrily sing along.

There’s no two ways about it, this is a tremendous hardcore record with almost infinite replay value. From vocals to drumming, bass to guitar, every aspect has been looked at and molded to a point of almost perfection. I look forward to hearing a lot more from this talented fivesome.