Direction of Things to Come

If this full-length debut's title is meant to suggest that something new or even revolutionary can be found on the disc, it's a bit of a misnomer. But if first-rate hardcore is a reasonable substitute, listeners will forgive the presumptuous Ensign. Such hubris is hard to hold against any punk band, and with their formidable hardcore lineage, this East Coast outfit has a right to brag a little anyway. With a lineup including Tim Shaw on vocals, Ryan Murphy on drums, John Fraunberger on guitar, and bassist Nate Gluck, Ensign operates as an extremely tight hardcore unit on Direction of Things to Come. Not exactly the most dynamic of recordings, this collection of 13 overhand rights to the temple is standard hardcore material executed almost to perfection. Shaw can shout with the best of them and his bandmates deliver a precise backup that plays like a '90s hardcore lesson guide. While not the groundbreaking effort they might have been predicting, this 1997 release is still the group's finest.