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Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

Fucked Up is on a continuing path to shock, destroy, and simply put their audiences in awe. Name the last hardcore band to put out a first full-length topping out at over 72 minutes. It's probably not an easy memory to recall.

Even in songs reaching well beyond 5 minutes, Hidden World likely contains some of Fucked Up's most accessible moments (notice I say “moments”). Somehow, Fucked Up spit the vocal fire of Black Flag but draw musically from the upbeat, charming allure of the Jam, all the while managing to offer a painfully happy vocal hook, and it simply makes for some of the most mindboggling songwriting in some time.

"Crusades" might open in the most grand of fashions, with a rounding choir and stomping, anthem-filling guitar riffs, but once the actual song gets underway, chances are you've heard few other hardcore bands sound so happy about being pissed off. Fuck, even "David Comes to Life" could nearly be the "single" here -- with a chorus somehow resembling the Dropkick Murphys and even more layered, pretty vocals at its finishing climax, it's not only Fucked Up at their most economical, but a prime example of the band at their most approachable.

Earlier punk influence comes heavy into play in tracks like "Carried Out to the Sea," which I'd swear was a Buzzcocks B-side if not for Pink Eyes' throaty roar and a lack of higher pitched "uh-ohhh"s in the background. "Two Snakes" stands out with effective, commanding percussion and a fiery, captivatingly repetitive shout of the song title, but serves as a piece where it eventually seems the band is writing a seven-minute song just to write a seven-minute song.

The threat in Hidden World really comes in its length and ambition and not necessarily in the violent aggression one would expect from Fucked Up (unless very careful attention is paid to select lyrical sections ["Baiting the Public:" "I want to smash your house / I want to scratch your car / I want to fuck your wife / I want to break your life"]). There's an array of unexpected instrumentation to be found on the record but it's often implemented rather subtly, and usually at the start or finish of a track. Sure, bites of left field violin tie up "Carried Out to the Sea," and the several seconds of whistling at the end of the title track is actually a nice reception, but often the band carry out their motives pounding their chords in rather extended passages, sometimes flirting with noise-rock layers to help fill the space and at least make it somewhat interesting -- yet this is precisely why that as Hidden World proceeds, it makes for a strenuous listen. Even through an unabashed musical optimism, Fucked Up succeed in their attempts to simply agitate the listener, and that's all fine and dandy if the listener somehow appreciates experiencing that human characteristic. Unfortunately, Fucked Up's lengthy compositions just don't seem to work wholly in the full-length format, and that's probably why they've put it off for so long.

Oh, and if all this doesn't sound weird enough, Alexisonfire frontman George Pettit offers some guest counterscreams in the last track, "Vivian Girls," and while his presence is entirely unexpected, it's surprisingly well placed. Still, certain punk elitists may end up utterly mindfucked. The song itself ends with a brief clip of the audio tape recorded during the Jonestown Massacre. It's not quite long enough to be as disturbing as intended, really.

It should be stressed that despite this, Hidden World is good. It offers a meet and greet of classic punk and hardcore like rarely seen before, directs a mesmerizing assortment of instrumentation not normally heard in the genre, and weaves strange tales making interpretation a difficult task -- the only problem being, there's just too goddamned much of it.

Baiting the Public



People who liked this also liked:
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    Posted by douglas_is_rad on 2007-09-15 18:56:37
    My Score:

    Agreed. It took me awhile to get into it, but now I just can't stop. It's so fucking amazing. I can't wait until the "best of 2007" lists come out and this will be on everyone's "albums that were amazing last year that I didn't fully appreciate until this year" lists.

    Posted by benz on 2007-09-11 00:45:46
    My Score:

    God dammit. Three stars?

    This album is one of the best punk albums of recent memory.

    -benz

    Posted by FuckYouOiOiOi on 2007-01-25 23:01:13
    My Score:

    how come nobody mentioned 'invisible leader'? thats my favorite song on the record. score is for the record.

    Posted by victim on 2007-01-08 23:08:14

    For those who are worried about the length of this: so was I at first. But I read a review about this using the word 'spazz-core' and it really does apply.

    Fucked Up does the whole repetition things way better in Hidden World than Blood Brothers did in Young Machetes. My opinion.

    Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-11-02 12:22:38
    My Score:

    Fuck you if you still don't love this album. 2nd best of the year, under crime in stereo.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 at 12:32 AM (EDT)

    are you fucking kidding?not real hardcore. this site is hilarious

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 10:18 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    clearly one of the greatest releases this year. such a fresh and unique sound. who cares if its not "real" hardcore. the point is its good music. period. and since when do albums need to be short? or song lengths? because thats not hardcore? theres this song that comes to mind...the saddest day...from some cd petitioning the empty sky by some band called converge.

    Posted by RondoMondo on 2006-10-13 03:27:13

    I don't dig this band at all.

    Posted by JonDaley on 2006-10-12 23:58:28
    My Score:

    one of the top 10 records of the year and the person bellow me....is bellow me.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 9:09 PM (EDT)

    who cares how long a record is....

    this record sucks because they write shitty songs...not because of the length...

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 8:49 PM (EDT)

    intense stuff. those who don't get it probably have dicks in their ears. when was the last time such simple guitars destroyed so many continents? eh?

    also, on "two snakes" it totally sounds like the chorus is "TUBE STEAKS! TUBE STEAKS!"

    Posted by Adam_K on 2006-10-11 17:58:39

    BOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGG

    Loved the stuff before it though.

    Posted by ILOVESCOTT on 2006-10-11 11:08:08

    yeah, 72 minutes is a little long. i agree with scruffy though. i usually like albums to be short, but there are some bands (like isis) that i can listen to songs that are well over 5 minutes. on a side note, ken have you heard the new chronic seizure 7"? its awesome.

    Posted by changeisasound on 2006-10-11 11:06:25

    the songs drag on. i mean its good music the song are good they just don't need to be 6 - 7 minutes long

    Posted by Scruffy on 2006-10-11 02:13:24

    Who cares if it's 72 minutes? If it's good, it's good.

    I don't know if this is good, but that's all I care about. Some bands' 2 minute songs lose me at the 30 second mark, while some bands go over 5 minutes with their songs and never lose me.

    Posted by JonDaley on 2006-10-11 01:06:25

    Billy Talent's singer is a rockstar jerk (nothing to do with the line, its about the way he treats people). Their first record was mildly entertaining pop rock that nickleback fans get in a tizzy about and their second one was some pretty boring shit. What do they have to do with Fucked Up's full length?

    Fucked Up makes music that evolves and music that engages the listener, and yes it is some great hardcore punk rock at that. When Billy Talent accomplish that they can speak up.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 12:14 AM (EDT)

    short, fast, and loud all the time gets boring REALLY quick

    remember when punk was about doing something interesting?
    thankfully, fucked up does

    Posted by mikeinflames on 2006-10-10 23:25:44

    dear fucked up,

    go away
    you're not actually that hardcore
    you all still live with your moms

    love
    billy talent

    Posted by gladimnotemo on 2006-10-10 22:22:25

    72 minute 2xLP vs. 6 or 7 2-3 song 7"s

    It works.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 10:09 PM (EDT)

    I got some of this band's earlier stuff and despite liking it, there will be zero chance of me picking up this record. Why? 72 fucking minutes, thats why. If your record lasts longer than a beer or your live set lasts longer than a pitcher, then I'm likely not very interested. Short, Fast and Loud, baby. Speaking of which....new issue is out....

    -Ken

    Posted by JonDaley on 2006-10-10 21:56:20

    Yeah...the mp3 sounds like PiB to me...I'll have to pass.

    yikes what clip were you listening to.

    I'm not sure where you get the idea that not listening to Fucked Up will make you uncool or whatever Feeeding. As much praise as the band gets they get double the shit thrown at them.

    While what the band does is interesting it isn't something you have to exactly "get" it helps Im sure but more immediatly the lyrics and music are simply writen in quite pleasing manners.

    Posted by gladimnotemo on 2006-10-10 21:51:41

    I wouldn't really lump them in with PIB, and I would imagine even members of PIB wouldn't make that comparison...This is the first release they've had somewhere other than Deranged (or Slasher, even smaller)...

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 9:44 PM (EDT)

    Actually BizzleBrizzle, maybe you should quit "punk" because you don't even listen to any punk, you listen to shit. At least Feeding5000 has some decent taste in music.

    Posted by dazed on 2006-10-10 21:09:46
    My Score:

    I'd really like to hear this, my expectations have gone from about a 5 to the current estimate above.

    Posted by Scruffy on 2006-10-10 20:06:14

    "review is too conservative. One of the best records this year, just that a lot of kids simply won't get it or dont have the attention span. welcome to a world in which music comes out in record form, not just as a single downloaded song."

    This is no statement about the quality of this album, but just what exactly is the amount of time where you no longer have a short attention span if you claim to dislike something? I'm asking so I can know how long listen to everything I hate so that no one can tell me my disinterest springs from some attention deficit and not actual distaste.

    Posted by BizzleBrizzle on 2006-10-10 19:37:41

    Feeding5000 should quit punk

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 5:39 PM (EDT)

    Feeding, put down the Crass and start to read more into hardcore. PiB is a really wrong, split second comparison.

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-10-10 17:17:04

    Yeah...the mp3 sounds like PiB to me...I'll have to pass.

    Posted by feeeding5000 on 2006-10-10 17:15:18

    I hate to destroy all my "punk cred", but I never really liked this band. Now that they're on Jade Tree, home of overrated "hardcore", I probably never will. Everyone will agree that this is amazing, like they did with "Paradise", and I'll be outside going, "Uhhhh"..

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 5:05 PM (EDT)

    review is too conservative. One of the best records this year, just that a lot of kids simply won't get it or dont have the attention span. welcome to a world in which music comes out in record form, not just as a single downloaded song.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 12:34 PM (EDT)

    Brilliant. Rating this a 6 is a crime.

    Posted by gladimnotemo on 2006-10-10 12:27:48

    "this band should learn to play their instruments."

    Yeah dude, liek the Lawrence fucking arms!@!!!!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 11:55 AM (EDT)

    "Dude, try listening to the fucking song, and then get back to me. I wouldn't be comparing a hardcore band to an Irish punk band if there wasn't a genuine similarity in the delivery of the chorus."

    Both bands have a slight Oi influence. Shout alongs don't mean it sounds like Dropkick Murphys. I mean, maybe on a shallow level, but the comparison is really weak.

    Oh well, it's music critics. I think bands like this should not bother sending their shit in for review here.

    -Will

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 11:34 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I liked this band better when it was called "The Dwarves".

    Posted by skankin_in_the_pit on 2006-10-10 11:03:46
    My Score:

    "This review is retarded. I love the length of all these songs, if they were any shorter they'd suck. This record is perfect, and is at the one of the best punk albums to ever have been released. People who think otherwise are retarded, and probably suck at listening to music."

    I wouldn't quite go that far, but you're right. Just like some amazing long albums from bands like Sleep or the (UK) Subhumans, I've never felt like skipping some tracks/filler or turning it off. The Slackers, Fucked Up, and Bones Brigade are in for a dogfight for my album of the year.

    I bet at least 85% of the bands I like would be considered ass music by danperrone. I'm slightly proud of that.

    Posted by Big_Guy on 2006-10-10 11:03:44

    this band should learn to play their instruments.

    anyway, this isn't bad, but I can't get into it

    Posted by danperrone on 2006-10-10 10:53:18

    there's a difference between pissing people off and simply making ass music

    Posted by gladimnotemo on 2006-10-10 10:42:47

    "This review is retarded. I love the length of all these songs, if they were any shorter they'd suck. This record is perfect, and is at the one of the best punk albums to ever have been released. People who think otherwise are retarded, and probably suck at listening to music.

    -BizzleBrizzle"

    Exactly. Even if this wasn't one of the top albums of this year, it still has flown past the reviewers here. If you were aggravated by the time length of the song, then Fucked Up has bothered yet one more person. It's just like that diss track shit...

    "YOUR FANS ARE FUCKING DEAF"

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 10:26 AM (EDT)

    Yo, for real, you gave the new Blood Brothers a better score than this?

    Quit reviewing records.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 10:23 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    This review is retarded. I love the length of all these songs, if they were any shorter they'd suck. This record is perfect, and is at the one of the best punk albums to ever have been released. People who think otherwise are retarded, and probably suck at listening to music.

    -BizzleBrizzle

    Posted by etwiels88 on 2006-10-10 10:16:56
    My Score:

    One of the best bands going right now. Fuck a 3 star...

    Posted by inagreendase on 2006-10-10 09:54:35

    I think you meant Jonestown Massacre, the historical attrocity not the band. What imbecile wrote this review?

    Holy Christ, one little word and you throw out the ad hominem. So I had the band name still lingering in my head from the Darker My Love review. Piss off.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 8:41 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "It featured a clip of the Brian Jonestown Massacre?" I think you meant Jonestown Massacre, the historical attrocity not the band. What imbecile wrote this review?

    Posted by thirtyseconds on 2006-10-10 07:10:03

    Ooh, tasty.

    Posted by JonDaley on 2006-10-10 02:44:57
    My Score:

    oh and score is for this record

    Posted by JonDaley on 2006-10-10 02:43:46

    this is a really difficult album, listen to it in chunks. It is some original interesting stuff they've got going on but all the while still hardcore punk. I still think a 6 is a conservative score but the review itself is pretty good either way.

    Posted by danperrone on 2006-10-10 01:42:19
    My Score:

    not that great at all

    TOO FUCKING LONG

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 1:07 AM (EDT)

    best record to come out of the hardcore scene in a LOOOOOOOONG time

    i cant get too into their 7"s, but this LP is incredible

    Posted by inagreendase on 2006-10-10 00:51:52

    Whoosh

    Dude, try listening to the fucking song, and then get back to me. I wouldn't be comparing a hardcore band to an Irish punk band if there wasn't a genuine similarity in the delivery of the chorus.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 12:46 AM (EDT)

    good review, this album is fucking awesome

    Posted by ilikepunkrock on 2006-10-10 00:29:22

    My bad, last week was the 7-inch. I still want to be review editor.

    Posted by ilikepunkrock on 2006-10-10 00:27:55

    2 of the same reviews as last week? Can I please become review editor? There has to be plenty of other reviews waiting to be posted.

    Posted by gladimnotemo on 2006-10-10 00:24:55
    My Score:

    "somehow resembling the Dropkick Murphys"

    Whoosh. I can't wait for this album. I'm not downloading it. It's too epic for that shit.

    Posted by FuckYouOiOiOi on 2006-10-10 00:23:35

    so is there gonna be a fucked up review every week?