END OF LEVEL BOSS
Inside the Difference Engine
(Exile On Mainstream)

ISOLE
Bliss of Solitude
(Napalm)

ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE
& THE MELTING PARAISO U.F.O
Nam Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo
(Ace Fu)

O'DEATH
Head Home
(Ernest Jenning)

TRAP THEM
Seance Prime
(Deathwish)

DYSRHYTHMIA/ROTHKO
Fractures 

(Acerbic Noise Development)

THE FIRE THE FLOOD
Truth Seekers

(No Sleep)

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By far the most impairing and limiting attribute of hardcore is the vocal approach. I know, the same could be said about many other genres but this is kind of a hot button to these ears because it helps me dismiss many hardcore recordings for what I interpret as a lack of personality. For the most part hardcore bands boast vocalists that play up the macho meathead bully part to a sleeveless T-shirt . A burly and aggressive sound that is carried of from the throat and to the outside with little aplomb that is usually backed by dozens of breakdowns, solo-less guitar crunch and anything but colorful drumming. Like with many past hardcore releases, I am a bit torn here, The Fire The Flood play the hardcore with surprising efficiency, but they also play up to the typical parameters of the genre.

Truth Seekers is produced by Jamie King whose skills are well-known within the genre circles and whose producing credits include Between The Buried And Me and others. The record has plenty of punch and the band flawlessly displays flare for dynamics; enough of that to make of Truth Seekers an entertaining and an all around encompassing confident release. Going back to the vocal approach, here the leadman is putting sufficient passion to take the band above the average level. His vocals are brutal, aggressive and burly, but they've got this crispy bubbling quotient that comes from a man that's indeed putting his throat in the line every single time. His vocals are raspy and the delivery itself is quite flat. The vocalist drops his line with furor but makes little distinction between songs leaving the weight of the difference between each track to the rest of The Fire The Flood; them boys in the back also playing up to the parameters of hardcore. This is good, it's got the power and the band certainly knows about hardcore. I may be missing the point here, but how about thinking outside the hardcore box at least for one fucking second?

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