Here and Now

Here and Now draws liberally from such hardcore veterans as Sick of It All and punk legends D.R.I., delivering 24 lightning fast bursts of metal-tinged hardcore punk in less than 22 minutes. Guitarist Colin McGinniss often slips into raunchy metal licks that hark back to the glory days of the '80s heavy metal scene, as such songs as "Pride" revel in the retro metal vein. Vocalist Ed Olsen hurls vicious bouts of anger-fueled adrenaline at skull-cracking speed, yet surprisingly slips into more traditional pop/punk rants from time to time that are reminiscient of Guttermouth or Dynamite Boy (a band that McGinniss was once a roadie for). This is old-school hardcore at its finest, rough around the edges, intense, and hurtling at the listener at breakneck speed. Go! For the Throat found a record deal courtesy of Chuck Treece, well known for his time as part of McRad and Bad Brains, and ultimately his decision was a wise one. Here and Now is a great old-school hardcore punk album that deserves recognition for respecting the old days of hardcore as much as bands like the Strokes and the White Stripes are critically lauded for being retro-rock. ~ Jason D. Taylor, Rovi