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What a great year for Rivalry Records.

First Another Breath, then Verse, now the First Step. Three incredible hardcore bands, all occupying different enough niches within the genre to not blend in with each other, instead, each has their own identity, each has their own sound.

The First Step represents the youth crew contingent, and they play the style flawlessly. Everything, from guitar tone to vocal delivery is a perfect representation of what a youth crew hardcore album should sound like. Passion, intensity, and simplistic and universal lyrical themes -- it’s all here. Vocalist Stephen St. Germain is a madman on the mic, often sounding like a much more intense version off With Honor vocalist Todd Mackey on This Is Our Revenge, and accounting for the real driving force between each of the record's twelve tracks.

Some offer a bit more speed and intensity than others, but even the slow moving, bass-fronted tracks like “No Way to Live” are instantly catchy, lines like "Taking and taking, when you have such a chance to give / That’s just no way to live!" becoming instant sing-along opportunities. The gang vocals on this album are full of energy and enthusiasm, providing a bit of a boost to whatever song may be lacking. The songs aren’t reliant on that, though, as the riffs dealt out by Aaron Chrietzberg rage without any sort of relent, and drummer Isreal Soriano is not much of a slouch himself. “Pursuit of Happiness,” in only a minute and a half, portrays perfectly everything that this band is about. Going at breakneck speed, St Germain still is able to perfectly articulate every word as clearly and angrily as the last, and only for the short bass bridge does the band slow to catch their breath, launching right back into the intensity once it’s over. “As It Is” may not bring quite the speed that the previous song did, but anything lacking is made up for with the rousing gang vocals that so often are found at the point of attention.

You like youth crew hardcore? You will like this record, there’s no middle ground. Rivalry is having a hell of a year, and this is just another jewel in the crown.



People who liked this also liked:
Verse - From Anger and RageDead Hearts - Bitter VersesShook Ones - Facetious Folly FeatHave Heart - The Things We CarryChampion - Promises KeptOperation Ivy - Operation IvyJawbreaker - Dear YouLifetime - Hello BastardsNone More Black - This Is SatireLifetime - Jersey's Best Dancers



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    Posted by PJZ on 2007-06-24 12:45:40

    this band rules, the title track is amazing

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 2, 2006 at 7:42 PM (EDT)

    "It's funny because the Canadian Subhumans were far more anarchistic and crusty than Subhumans UK."

    It's also funny how much worse they were than the UK version.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 2, 2006 at 12:55 PM (EDT)

    Their best stuff is long out of print.

    -Will

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-10-01 18:52:32

    I've only heard them from the Vancouver Compilation, and it's...ok.

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-10-01 18:51:10

    Yeah...didn't one of the Canadian Subhumans get arrested for bombing a factory, or something?

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, October 1, 2006 at 1:32 PM (EDT)

    "Ok...so I saw on the streaming albums the Subhumans, and I almost shit myself. Then I saw it was the Vancouver Subhumans. I...unshit."

    It's funny because the Canadian Subhumans were far more anarchistic and crusty than Subhumans UK.

    -Will

    Posted by inagreendase on 2006-09-30 19:49:10
    My Score:

    I *should* like this but it seemed really pedestrian on the first listen.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 29, 2006 at 9:26 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    If not for Ambitions, probably the hardcore album of the year. Good fun.

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-09-29 17:45:45

    Also, this sounds pretty cool. I prefer old youth crew (ha) to the shit-metal that passes for hardcore these days. Still, I think Felic Havoc had the best idea -- a new evolution of hardcore combining Youth Crew and D-Beat.

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-09-29 17:44:11

    Ok...so I saw on the streaming albums the Subhumans, and I almost shit myself. Then I saw it was the Vancouver Subhumans. I...unshit.

    Posted by rkl on 2006-09-29 14:51:49
    My Score:

    i dont like anchors, but i like this band. score is for not letting personal preference get in the way of a solid review.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 29, 2006 at 1:55 PM (EDT)

    Anchors is a solid dude that writes good reviews, fuck off. i don't like this band, saw them last year and they were horrendous.

    Posted by skankin_in_the_pit on 2006-09-29 11:20:20
    My Score:

    This keeps growing on me. A couple months ago I probably would've given this a 6.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 29, 2006 at 10:55 AM (EDT)

    i hope this reviewer dies in a fire. fuck him. fuck this band.

    Posted by gladimnotemo on 2006-09-29 10:29:05
    My Score:

    I saw this band last year. They are not very good. I kne Anchors reviewed this before I even opened it. Oh well.

    Posted by jamespastepunk on 2006-09-29 10:27:01

    I haven't heard this band's previous material, but judging by the two songs I found from it on the rivarly site, this CD is awesome.

    Posted by BizzleBrizzle on 2006-09-29 09:50:13

    awesome record, awesome band

    Posted by changeisasound on 2006-09-29 08:36:25

    I love this album. it took me a while to get into but its become one of my favortie pretty quickly. i saw these guys live in july. their live presence is in a league of its own.

    Posted by givemeamuseumandillfillit on 2006-09-29 06:53:14
    My Score:

    Great band, dissapointing release.

    Posted by fallingupwards84 on 2006-09-29 06:31:35

    great fucking band
    i love these guys

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 29, 2006 at 4:39 AM (EDT)

    Bad ass fucking cover.

    Posted by danperrone on 2006-09-29 00:56:26

    eh, just not my style

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