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Only Crime / Outbreak

Split [7 inch] (2007)
Think Fast! Records

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on June 26th 2007

First vinyl purchase since getting a turntable: sweet.

Arriving in my mailbox 5 days before official release: sweet.

Tie-dyed vinyl: sweet.

Mistakenly believing that all 7” records are best played at 45 RPM: not sweet. (Russ Rankin, I dub you an honorary member of the Chipmunks while spinning at anything greater than 33 revolutions per minute.)

Punk rock supergroup Only Crime and Maine's Outbreak convened at the Blasting Room in Ft. Collins, CO a few months ago to record what would soon become one of the most ass-kicking and face-bludgeoning split EPs in recent memory. And while both bands deliver in their limited capacity, the two songs each artist provides will barely satiate the fix needed after getting hooked on the authentic hardcore of Only Crime and Outbreak.

Side A belongs to Only Crime, commonly known for boasting veterans of Good Riddance, Black Flag, Bane, and GWAR. Their unique brand of heavy hardcore is intense and powerful without being metallic, a sharp way of updating their roots, instead of going “metalcore” like most hardcore bands trying to outdo their elders. “Brand New Scene” is dispensed in traditional Only Crime form, with amelodic verses that seem to reflect on the state of hardcore, particularly in relation to the passing of vocalist Russ Rankin’s former band Good Riddance: "Just push around while I’m running away from / I see myself inside you / Leaving trails and the blood you ignore / Leave lies behind you / […] / Like all the other perversions / Leaving time for the versions of that sound / […] / I’ve seen enough to drive it all away / This time it’s done so take it all away." The second half of Only Crime’s offering is “Revisionistic,” the obvious standout of the EP. Light, teaser riffage gives way to melodic hardcore that with an extremely catchy tune and slightly less heavy approach sounds like Good Riddance in the prime of their existence. Side A score: 4.5/5

Outbreak’s three minutes of the split don’t exactly give a full introduction to the novice listener, but they do offer a glimpse of what a typical Outbreak composition might entail. Lyrically, Outbreak closely resembles the forefathers of East Coast `80s hardcore: simple, angry, and concise. If you’re thinking about playing Side B around your parents because there aren’t any expletives in the liner notes, you can forget it. Even though they don’t appear in the written lyrics, Outbreak drops the F-bomb in both of their tracks. The band’s approach to songwriting is interesting in that their songs are essentially composed of one big verse with some lyrics repeated to form a quasi-chorus. As the first song “Single File” bleeds right into “Deaf and Blind,” the somewhat convulsive drumming gives Outbreak more of a D.R.I. or Suicidal Tendencies feel than that of fellow East Coasters like Agnostic Front or Madball. Outbreak shows promise here, but their contribution is over right as they begin to pick up pace. Side B score: 3.5/5

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Anonymous (July 2, 2007)

mine was op ivy "hectic"

Anonymous (June 29, 2007)

My first vinyl was Screaming For Vengeance by Judas Priest.

I saw them play last year and Halford was like a weird robot wrapped in leather and studs.

CapnHawk (June 28, 2007)

My first vinyl purchase was Descendents-Somery

GlassPipeMurder (June 27, 2007)

Well it makes sense since kids are the ones buying it!

Anonymous (June 27, 2007)

listen to record w/ parents!!!! i knew these are all kids doing reviews.

Scruffy (June 26, 2007)

In regards to Dante's post, holy frack is that Gaslight Anthem album awesome. Possibly one of my top 5 for 2007.

SloaneDaley (June 26, 2007)

my first 12" was the captain of the lacross team.

actually it was Dag Nasty's Can I Say.

Dante3000 (June 26, 2007)

First Vinyl was a limited 12" for Rage Against The Machines "Bullet in the Head"...I had a huge Rage Against the Machine phase.
Most recent vinyl purchase, Gaslight Anthem.
-Dante

Anonymous (June 26, 2007)

the NYC band was Outburst, not Outbreak

Anonymous (June 26, 2007)

got my preorder today, not bad. nothing too special, but not bad. only crime songs are good, especially revisionistic. no idea why brand new scene is streaming on the only crime myspace, revisionistic kills. out break lyrics have come a long way. also funny to note that the combined age of only crime must surpass 150 and i dont think anyone in out break is over 21 ahah. weird but kind of cool mix for a split. not bad.

GlassPipeMurder (June 26, 2007)

I'm a little rusty with the hardcore but wasn't there a sort of big nyc band called Outbreak from the late eighties???

Yeah, I got confused there too. Kudos to Brian for noting that it's the Maine band.

elephantdwarf (June 26, 2007)

OH NO! my parents will disown me if they hear me listening to a band that has "FUCK" in their lyrics! who's parents still honestly care about that shit?

elephantdwarf (June 26, 2007)

NEWBZZ. my first vinyl purchase was Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast when i was like... 8.

JaredK (June 26, 2007)

I'm a little rusty with the hardcore but wasn't there a sort of big nyc band called Outbreak from the late eighties???

GlassPipeMurder (June 26, 2007)

who the fuck cares if outbreak drops the "f-bomb"

it was an extension of what came earlier in the paragraph about the lyrics.

baseball (June 26, 2007)

i think the Hot Water Music/Alkaline Trio split was my first vinyl purchase...awesome picture disk

i got the NUFAN live album as a gift before that

jeremyRVN (June 26, 2007)

my first vinyl purchase was a Hot Cross/The Holy Shroud split 7in

AphasiacIIC (June 26, 2007)

youre one of the only decent staff reviewers

remainsunseen (June 26, 2007)

who the fuck cares if outbreak drops the "f-bomb"

Anonymous (June 26, 2007)

Mne was a Kings of Nuthin LP. Love those guys.

OH and Outbreak >>>> Only Crime

branden (June 26, 2007)

my first vinyl purchase was the green album by weezer. it was more of a gift though. anybody else?

GlassPipeMurder (June 26, 2007)

even though i'd like to be well-versed in every band i get the pleasure of reviewing, it usually doesn't happen that way. good stuff though, i liked what i heard.

Anonymous (June 26, 2007)

I guess the reviewer has never heard Outbreak before?

Anonymous (June 26, 2007)

Cause only time can heal all wounds

10 street cred points to whomever gets the reference

branden (June 26, 2007)

turntables are fun

Anonymous (June 26, 2007)

Utter shit, score is for modern day hardcore.