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Down to Nothing

Splitting Headache (2005)
Thorp Records

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

Published on June 27th 2006

It’s safe to say that with Down to Nothing’s second full-length, Splitting Headache, they’re not messing around. They begin the album with “Go Ahead with Yo Fake Ass,” a fast and aggressive 52-second track ending with “Take your fucking garbage out of here.” The track pretty much sets the stage for the mentality the rest of the album encompasses. “Us v. Each Other” soon follows, and with lyrics like, “Fuck that / you can’t take this away from me / fuck off / nobody thinks you’re fucking cool / you fucking tool,” you might mistake the track for something Outbreak would write. Despite the gratuitous use of...well, you know...the song definitely remains one of the album’s finest.

Tracks like “I Can’t Believe My Eyes” offer the album a slightly less aggressive, slower approach to the consistently steady pace Down to Nothing have to offer. Straight-edge enthusiasts surely will delight in the track “Smash It,” whose lyrics are pretty straight-forward: “For the weak / not for the strong / straight-edge because we don’t want to belong / I’m not going to put myself on the same level as all the fucking bullshit that I don’t stand for / smash it.”

“Unbreakable,” a song originally written and performed by Murder Weapon, also breaks up the consistency of the album with Scott Eckert’s (former MW vocalist) heavier sound. The track offers more of a beatdown feel to the otherwise `90s skatepunk vibe.

While the album definitely has a great deal of angry tracks, songs like “Home Sweet Home, ” which discuss movie night and Nintendo night, reflect the more “chill” side of the band. The same could be said for “Skate and Annoy Vol. 2.0 (Sk8 or Die),” an 11-second track Bones Brigade (see: I Hate Myself When I’m Not Skateboarding) would appreciate.

Though the last four tracks of Splitting Headache were all featured on Down to Nothing’s split with Kids Like Us, the album is definitely packed with enough solid new material to make it worth a listen. Down to Nothing play fast, raw straight-edge hardcore that will leave you wanting more, but in order to fully experience the energy this band has to offer, catch one of their live shows and prepare for some sing-alongs.

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Anonymous (July 2, 2006)

Save It For The Birds was better. And I don't know why so many people jock this band. They're not that good.

wehavecomeforyourchildren (June 29, 2006)

the reviewer forget to mention that the first 4 tracks are on DTN's split with On Thin Ice.

so let's do some math.....

4 tracks from a previous release
1 song that's already been on two releases but has been re-recorded to be released on this album
1 cover song
1 new song
4 tracks from a different previous release =
1 album?

i don't think so. this is a new song. not a new album. fuck down to nothing for marketing this as their new full length and slapping a $12 price tag on it.

SilentStorms (June 28, 2006)

Yeah the review was very uninformative (unless you like weak lyrics), so I don't think I'll be checking out this band.

Dante3000 (June 28, 2006)

Are those really the best lyrics this band can put forth? I mean not every album has to be laced with deep metaphors and complex song structure but it'd be nice if it seemed to have more thought than a screaming drunk dude.
-Dante

Anonymous (June 27, 2006)

This score is for the review, because after reading it I still have no idea what this band sounds like. All I know is that they write lyrics like I did when I was 14.

SalsaShark (June 27, 2006)

“Fuck that / you can’t take this away from me / fuck off / nobody thinks you’re fucking cool / you fucking tool"

Those lyrics are goofy. Remind me of "LAX."

Anonymous (June 27, 2006)

people who live in america but spell like europeans shouldnt be allowed to write hardcore reviews

Go eat a dick salad you cunt.

Anonymous (June 27, 2006)

medicore band, good live. get the on thin ice split. on thin ice were a band that knew how to kick in some heads.

rkl (June 27, 2006)

people who live in america but spell like europeans shouldnt be allowed to write hardcore reviews.

also, this band doesnt have shit on bones brigade.