This Is Hell

Sundowning (2006)
Trustkill Records

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Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on June 2nd 2006

This is This Is Hell.

This is Sundowning.

This is a really good debut full-length that's otherwise seeming to polarize people for really curious reasons that I may never fathom.

What more can you ask of a hardcore band's first album when it brings the same amount of intensity as the preceding EPs, integrates more influences from the likes of the Suicide File and the Hope Conspiracy instead of relying solely on a base Give Up the Ghost nod, completely sheds comparisons to the band members' former endeavors (Scraps and Heart Attacks, the Backup Plan), offers a rapidly changing dynamic in terms of accessibility, and releases the whole thing in a package designed by Converge front-man and talented artist Jake Bannon? Very, very little comes to mind.

Sundowning starts out utterly relentless. "Retrospect" and "Prelude (Again)" bring the kind of aggression and tempo that would lead me to describe them as "in your face" if I hadn't recycled that phrase so much already. It's downright weird to hear songs so blistering in comparison to a band's slightly elder material, but that's precisely what they present. However, the scales are balanced with "Permanence," "The Polygraph Cheaters," and "Procession Commence" (the last of which features yet another wonderful cameo from Glassjaw / Head Automatica voicebox Daryl Palumbo), great songs in their own right but also ones that seem to have a certain crossover appeal about them. When the band fleshes out like this and slows down ever so slightly, the song seems to have a wider appeal, but only in the best way, using repetition that's efficient, not obnoxious.

Thing is, there's midpoints too: The chorus of "Here Comes the Rains" is downright fanatstic for its emotional tinge, and the memorial interludes of "4/8/05" and "8/27/05" are kind reprieves from the sorted amounts of controlled chaos usually taking place. "The Absentee Ballot" is a building and breaking anthem, coughing up a wonderful range considering it's under 2 minutes.

The only minor complaint I may have is the few forced breakdowns ("Broken Teeth," "Procession Commence," "Epilogue") on the disc. They do seem thrown in just to relate to the band's label-mates, but they're both sporadic and brief enough that I don't entirely mind them, and usually creative considering, anyway.

Sundowning delivers on most of the promises that This Is Hell's demo and followup EP were vehemently making. For all the band's somewhat obvious comparisons, it honestly feels unique in all its styles and moods and the structure both are presented in. This Is Hell should not only continue to make big waves in the hardcore community, but open up the floodgates for the ocean to expand.

STREAM
Permanence
The Polygraph Cheaters

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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.

sleepwalker (November 9, 2007)

"Let the good die young/We'll fucking live forever" is an awesome line. Truer words are so rarely sung.

Archangel (July 23, 2006)

So I bought this today and so far I'm liking it a lot. And you guys weren't kidding about the AN/GUTG comparisons... God damn.

Anonymous (June 18, 2006)

guns up!-outlive will be better

i havent had a " hardcore album of the year" since 88

Anonymous (June 18, 2006)

guns up!-outlive

i havent had a " hardcore album of the year" since 88

peaceonmars (June 8, 2006)

I have a friend who likes This is Hell. He wears a camo Casey Jones scene hat. He's cool.

Anonymous (June 8, 2006)

Discharge offend my ears.

Anonymous (June 7, 2006)

I felt like the EP was alot more in yoru face than sundowning. Still bought this album and enjoyed it.

Sinking Ships-Meridian is my favorite of this year.

dir (June 6, 2006)

"How so? All the guys who were in The Loved Ones used to be in hardcore bands, The Loved Ones play shows with hardcore bands, so why wouldn't someone who likes The Loved Ones also like a hardcore band?

That said, I like both The Loved Ones and This is Hell."

Yeah but what I meant was that it's weird to see a band like The Loved Ones being connected in any way to a band like This Is Hell.
I think I expected to see more bands like Most precious blood or Hope Conspiracy listed there for some reason.
Also, I think the Loved Ones full length was kind of weak.

Anonymous (June 5, 2006)

If you are in a "hardcore" band and cannot trace your musical influences back to either Discharge or DRI, you are a total fucking poser. ...Trustkill, Eulogy, Thorp....looking in your direction here.

-Ken

Anonymous (June 5, 2006)

I also like both bands...

...evildeadalive

BizzleBrizzle (June 5, 2006)

People who like this like The Loved Ones? Odd.

How so? All the guys who were in The Loved Ones used to be in hardcore bands, The Loved Ones play shows with hardcore bands, so why wouldn't someone who likes The Loved Ones also like a hardcore band?

That said, I like both The Loved Ones and This is Hell.

Anonymous (June 5, 2006)

weak shit

dir (June 4, 2006)

People who like this like The Loved Ones? Odd.

dir (June 4, 2006)

I want this.

New Mexican Disaster Squad?

Anonymous (June 4, 2006)

I liked this band better when they were called Give Up The Ghost and they penned some of the most intelligent lyrics ever to be written in any musical genre.

Anonymous (June 4, 2006)

Run fa covah reckidz!!!

testiclese (June 4, 2006)

i still like scraps and heart attacks better

Anonymous (June 3, 2006)

best band in hardcore

etwiels88 (June 3, 2006)

"Ceremony"

THIS will be the hardcore album of the year. Believe that.

Russe11 (June 3, 2006)

Definitely a great album, though not as enjoyable overall as the EP.

Anonymous (June 3, 2006)

"3. This is Hell > All other hardcore bands besides a few melodic/metallic hardcore bands"

Please... Please- Forget your password and never return to this site at all.

And about any band sounding like "Bane/Comeback Kid/etc"- It's not exactly weird for your youth crew band to wind up sounding like other youth crew bands on accident since they're all inspired by the same stuff, IE: Chain of Strength, Youth of Today, Insted, etc.

God, Youth Crew is so boring. Not at all representative of the very much needed "punk" that accomponies "hardcore" in the genre we call "hardcore punk."

-Will (not logged in because I'm lazy)

inagreendase (June 3, 2006)

...and the new Sinking Ships to all be incredible.

It's close. They couldn't shake the heavy Bane/Champion vibes, but a lot of the guitars are STRAIGHT split-era Turning Point, and the last song is fucking amazing (think any of the slower, more powerful songs off the last Modern Life Is War album).

BizzleBrizzle (June 3, 2006)

this record, along with the new First Step, new Robot Whales, and the new Crime in Stereo have been the best hardcore full-lengths so far this year, and that new Learn EP definitely takes the cake as far as EPs.

I do gotta say that I'm expecting the new Ceremony, the new Have Heart, the new Hope Conspiracy, and the new Sinking Ships to all be incredible.

onegirlarmy (June 2, 2006)

I really like this album, and this is coming from someone who thought This Is Hell's demo and EP were both just okay. "The Polygraph Cheaters" and "Here Comes The Rains", are both incredible songs.

Bosco (June 2, 2006)

"Procession Commence doesn't have Daryl in it...which song does?"

It most definitely does, even though it's one of the weaker tracks on the album.

Still really stong all around, Permanence is awesome and ranks up there with the best hardcore songs of the past few years. I saw these guyes twice in one day in Syracuse and they were a fucking blast both times.

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

The album is awesome. I would reccomend The Bleeding Alarm to anyone who enjoyed This Is Hell

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

these guys are awesome, they rip it up, this record absolutely kills it, they also play insanely well live

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

Some people are already thinking Ignite's or Sick of It All's latest will be the best hardcore album of the year. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed them both. But that crown belongs to This Is Hell.

This is their breakout album and I hope it goes nothing but upwards for them. Some of the best hardcore I heard in a while.

Ramo

lookmommyididit (June 2, 2006)

the absentee ballot reminds me a shit load of modern life is war. fantastic album.

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

Procession Commence doesn't have Daryl in it...which song does?

etwiels88 (June 2, 2006)

With this album, you can definitely tell that some of the songs are a little We're Down Til We're Underground-esque but it still has the integrity of the older This Is Hell material. I think the AN ripoff comments are too heavy, and that the sound isn't that noticeable. Sundowning is good. Anyone who hasn't heard this band just because they're on Trustkill needs to at least listen. Granted Trustkill is terrible (and are equally as awful as Victory), you should check this band out.

Favorite tracks:
Prelude (Again)
The Polygraph Cheaters
Deliver Me

PS. PICK UP THE LIMITED EDITION TRUSTKILL TRADING CARS ROFL

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

Becase SF, THC, and AN/GUTG are so very different.... come on now.

If you listen to those bands a lot, they're quite different. Suicide File had a heavy rock'n'roll influence; like a harder version of what you're hearing from the Bronx now, and Black Flag in the early days. Give Up the Ghost was much more straightforward classic rooted hardcore; if not for Wes' voice, it would probably be compared to a lot of early D.C. acts.

Anyway, Sundowning is really great.

crazytoledo (June 2, 2006)

1. Victory > Trustkill (BTBAM, With Honor, Comeback Kid, and Darkest Hour don't lie)

2. This is Hell > All Other Hardcore bands on Trustkill

3. This is Hell > All other hardcore bands besides a few melodic/metallic hardcore bands

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

i'd give them a chance if they didn't have the shittiest name ever.

Sally_Field (June 2, 2006)

"Permanence" is an amazing track.

Archangel (June 2, 2006)

Trustkill may be terrible, but no label is worse than Victory.

EyesLikeBombs (June 2, 2006)

"if the good die young, we'll fucking live forever. thats a dope fuckin line permanence is definately the best song on this cd. really good cd. one of the best hxc cd since we're down til we're underground"

Yeah, it was good back when Tupac said it.

mattp330 (June 2, 2006)

glad to see a review for this, the album is sick

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

"ntegrates more influences from the likes of the Suicide File and the Hope Conspiracy instead of relying solely on a base Give Up the Ghost nod"

Becase SF, THC, and AN/GUTG are so very different.... come on now.

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

Everything trustkill touches is shit. Trustkill is the by FAR the worst record label in existence.

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

it's pretty mindblowing that trustkill signed this band. they don't wear makeup and they're really good.

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

hi we're called american nightmare.

actually though they're alright.

Anonymous (June 2, 2006)

if the good die young, we'll fucking live forever. thats a dope fuckin line permanence is definately the best song on this cd. really good cd. one of the best hxc cd since we're down til we're underground

tapemarks_and_brakelights (June 2, 2006)

this album is amazing. i was definitely glad that it wasn't a disappointing album.

i can relate to a lot of this album, too.

BizzleBrizzle (June 2, 2006)

I give it a 9 I think, it's really awesome though.

danperrone (June 2, 2006)

brian you got me listening to this again after not being into it after a few listens and now i really like it

you da man

nocigar (June 2, 2006)

i'll download this after i finish downloading my adhesive