Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Agnostic Front

Warriors (2007)
Nuclear Blast

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

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

Published on December 4th 2007

Track 10 on Agnostic Front's latest album Warriors is called "We Want the Truth." Well, here it is: I haven't listened to any Agnostic Front since Something's Gotta Give. Why? Part of my motivation was lost immediately after the unearthing of archive footage of Phil Donahue’s exposé on New York hardcore. The on-air debate about “Public Assistance” sent more than a few of us (including myself) into a defensive PC frenzy that spawned accusations of racism and reinforcement of the stereotypical, unsympathetic New York tough guy. Of course, that was before taking note of lead singer Roger Miret’s “100% Latino” tattoo or acknowledging his campaign for animal rights and the multitude of dissident messages throughout the band’s extensive catalog. Go figure.

The second reason was based on the band‘s move from Epitaph Records to Nuclear Blast, and accounts of a more metallic sound on 2005’s Another Voice. Without actually hearing the result, I envisioned AF going through the evolution/decline of a band like Corrosion of Conformity who traded it in the aggressive hardcore punk of Technocracy for the agonizingly slow metal grooving of Blind. My imagination ran wild, and the thoughts weren’t pretty.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised to slip Warriors into my CD player and be immediately hammered into submission. While it’s true the 2007 Agnostic Front is noticeably heavier than my last taste of the band (1998’s Something’s Gotta Give), Warriors is still a hardcore record through and through. The galloping double-bass drumming of Steve Gallo combined with Vinnie Stigma’s class hardcore punk guitar styles beat like a jackhammer under Roger Miret’s trademark snarl. In hardcore, everyone is family. But Warriors' producer Freddy Cricien of Madball actually is family, putting a powerful, hard-hitting finish on his big brother’s ninth studio full-length.

Nowhere on Warriors is there a more clear illustration of the tight, robust style and production than “No Regrets,” with its straight-ahead riffage and pummeling rhythm that barely stops for breakneck fills, while gang shouts of “NO REGRETS!” appear strategically throughout. The straight-edge Miret takes a fairly common-sense approach to “Addiction” as he confronts the song’s subject: "I’ve watched you fade away / Have you lost sight of the dreams of yesterday? / Don’t fuck up your life / You’re doubting control / Now you’re a victim, you’re losing your soul." Despite double-bass drumming being employed heavily throughout the album, there are very few of the double-bass breakdowns that younger generations of hardcore bands rely upon. And even when they do appear, they aren’t the stereotypical open E-string pounds of today’s bands, but rather demonstrate shifting chords and even some of the album’s most melodic moments like on “By My Side.”

There's already been a hardcore Warriors album released earlier this year, but no matter. Coming from Agnostic Front, this is still the original. It’s hard to express how great it is to still be hearing Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma plugging in and playing with as much conviction in 2007 as they had in 1984. Different, certainly, to some degree, but still Agnostic Front and still no-holds-barred hardcore. With tight, fierce songs that come packing a punch, Warriors is a welcome addition to Agnostic Front’s already stacked catalog no fan should be without.

ALBUM STREAM
Warriors

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

jt (December 9, 2007)

Fuck Agnostic Front. Public Assistance is such a fucking racist song. Good call to point that out in the review. Their lyrics are so bad too. They bring shame to really good political bands.

MattRamone (December 6, 2007)

This is the worst cover art I have ever seen. It looks like it was drawn by a Latin King in a mental ward.

GlassPipeMurder (December 6, 2007)

i apologize, posting a 1/10 score for the review did not seem like polite criticism to me. i understand your points, i just think they're a bit unrealistic especially since I said in my first paragraph that I hadn't listened to them since an album that came out ten years ago.

SumWon (December 6, 2007)

If you have two jobs, you have the means to purchase the entire back catalog yourself

Are you serious? Who would work a second job if he/she didnt need the money for things more important than punk cds.

rorshok (December 6, 2007)

"haha ok. start paying me for writing reviews, let me quit school and both my jobs, then send me their entire back catalog so i can write a review that's up to your standards. until then, don't be surprised that a volunteer reviewer doesn't know every minute detail about a band's history. and technocracy was a good hardcore punk/crossover album compared to anything they've done since then."

1.) A reviewer must have the ability to take polite criticism.

2.) If you have two jobs, you have the means to purchase the entire back catalog yourself. Don't be a mooch. For the love of whatever god you believe in, stay in school.

3.) As a volunteer reviewer, you are using your knowledge of the band, as a backdrop for the music you are reviewing. Knowing more about the band, helps you to help the people that are reading it, better understand where you are coming from in your opinion.

4.) You first stated that Technocracy was an "aggressive hardcore punk" album. Now, you are backpedaling, and calling it a "hardcore punk/crossover" album. Please make up your mind, so we don't confuse the other readers by cross pollinating the genres. My mind is already made up. It's a metal album.

5.) Why would I pay you to write reviews? I am not employed, nor will I ever be employed by "punknews.org". Therefore I have no means to hire you.

6.) I do applaud you, in the fact that YOU took a band like Agnostic Front, that YOU like, and put YOUR OWN spin on their album. It really does take a bit of guts to write your feelings down, post them online, and let the entire world bicker about them..Kudos to you.

Score is for the inability of the young(er) generation, not being able to take constructive criticism

GlassPipeMurder (December 6, 2007)

you got yourself a dealio, Jon.

SloaneDaley (December 6, 2007)

haha ok. start paying me for writing reviews, let me quit school and both my jobs, then send me their entire back catalog so i can write a review that's up to your standards. until then, don't be surprised that a volunteer reviewer doesn't know every minute detail about a band's history. and technocracy was a good hardcore punk/crossover album compared to anything they've done since then.

how about if I pay you in sexual favours?

GlassPipeMurder (December 6, 2007)

haha ok. start paying me for writing reviews, let me quit school and both my jobs, then send me their entire back catalog so i can write a review that's up to your standards. until then, don't be surprised that a volunteer reviewer doesn't know every minute detail about a band's history. and technocracy was a good hardcore punk/crossover album compared to anything they've done since then.

rorshok (December 6, 2007)

"I envisioned AF going through the evolution/decline of a band like Corrosion of Conformity who traded it in the aggressive hardcore punk of Technocracy for the agonizingly slow metal grooving of Blind. "

Technocracy? Aggressive hardcore punk?
The last time COC played punk, was during their "Eye For An Eye" / "Animosity" lineup.

If you listened to Agnostic Front back in the early 90's, you will find that they sound almost similar to the AF of today. Multiple guitars, double bass, gang chants,breakdown parts,etc,etc.

They're doing nothing new at all. For Agnostic Front is that bad? Not really. They have always put on a good show, and gave the kids (and us older punks) our moneys worth. I believe they will continue on this path.

If you're going to review a band like AF, that has been around for a very long time, you should take into consideration, the entire catalog of music. Sure, AF of 2007 sounds nothing like AF of 84.

They've "matured" musically, and even the classic "rough around the edges / 5 songs in a minute songs", now sound polished, clean, and a bit extended. They've made some very good albums, but have also made some very VERY bad albums. I'll have to say, that they've been consistant (in my opinion) about the way they release albums..They usually make a good one / an ok one / a bad one...Sometimes they shuffle it up, but this has been the formula for the last 20 something years.
--------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
United Blood (EP) - Decent
Victim In Pain - Good
Cause for alarm - ?? I'm torn here, because this album opened ALOT of doors for hardcore /early speed metal musically. alot of it is listenable, but vocally, it's not Roger's best stuff
---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------
Liberty & Justice For... - Good
Live @ CBGB's - Decent
One Voice - Bad (You, the reviewer would like it though..Lots of that double bass stuff you commented on 3-4 times in your review).
------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Something's Gotta Give - Very Good (They gained alot of new fans with this one)
Riot Riot Upstart - Decent
Dead Yuppies - Bad
------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------
Working Class Heroes - Decent
Another Voice - Bad
Warriors - From what I've heard on their Myspace page, I don't care for it too much. I know, I was expecting this to be their "good" one in the 3 pack
----------------------------------------------------------- ----------------

It was an alright review, but you could have done better had you studied more, and done your homework.

Score is for the review, not the album

deernitsua (December 4, 2007)

i saw these guys play this summer. it was boring. i'm even a fan of hardcore.

Nick_V (December 4, 2007)

Everyone, watch this clip - "Deep thoughts with Vinny Stigma." It made me laugh out loud the first time I saw it and it still does...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKpIYUEI-ps

GlassPipeMurder (December 4, 2007)

http://www.hardcorehalloffame.com/roger.html

interesting...th e interview I read must have been during the time that he was claiming straight-edge.

sugarfull (December 4, 2007)

the cover for this is so riddiculous. I laughed out loud.

WhiteCollar (December 4, 2007)

Roger Miret is not edge.

http://www.hardcorehalloffame.com/roger.html

SloaneDaley (December 4, 2007)

not a huge NYHC fan but not really impressed with what I've heard of this, I think Madball's latest is better which not band should let happen.

DiscoFucker (December 4, 2007)

I could have sworn I saw Miret's name on the list of a drinking contest in NYC once.

JaredK (December 4, 2007)

I got into AF a few years after they broke up and know a lot of people that were pissed when they got back together. I thought "Something's Gotta Give" was ok at best....but "Riot, Riot Upstart" is actually my favorite album by them (including their original early 80's shit...sacrilege, I know)...the Lars Fredrickson production/influence is pretty clear and it has more of a street-punk/anthem feel to it. Dead Yuppies didn't do it for me and when I heard the more metallic shit they put out after that I figure they are just trying to sell albums since that generic shit is so popular.

baseball (December 4, 2007)

haha, that's some hilariously ridiculous artwork

i almost want a copy sans the music

fallingupwards84 (December 4, 2007)

wow, just read the lyrics to Public Assistance and thats some fucked up ignorant shit

Johnny_X (December 4, 2007)

That gave me a good laugh, the type that really works your abs. If anyone can show me more ridiculous album art I'll...make them a sandwich or something.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (December 4, 2007)

I still love that phil donahue seg..

"it's getting bigger and bigger every day"
"and pretty soon it will be mainstream and you will have to find something else..."

eatdogs (December 4, 2007)

but that artwork is BROOOOOTALL!!! i mean, it's tough man, real chunky new yawk gutta TOUGH!!!

fallingupwards84 (December 4, 2007)

quite possibly the worst artwork in history -- how could anyone take this album seriously after looking at that cover?

CaveatMalefactor (December 4, 2007)

Score is for the artwork. It's funny.

Something's Gotta Give was alright.

eatdogs (December 4, 2007)

so i take it that punknews.org appreciates this album more than madball's NYHC ep?

heh heh, that review was tits.

GlassPipeMurder (December 4, 2007)

Score is for the lack of mention of the ridiculous artwork

no appreciation of comedy, Bill?

SumWon (December 4, 2007)

Who are they warring against?

HonestAbe (December 4, 2007)

This probably isn't the place, but what the hell...

Anyone on here have any suggestions for electronic artists or bands, whatever their called
preferably something more mellow like Air or The Album Leaf or Diplo....shit that you can kinda zone out and study, not like dancy club crap with sampled vocals, just more atmospheric mellow type stuff?