Victory

Crafting snotty hardcore punk diatribes based around the trials and tribulations of being a rebellious teenager, Kansas City's the Underdog Conspiracy follow in the footsteps of other die-hard punk rockers such as Good Riddance and Face to Face. Their full-length debut, simply titled Victory, traverses the common ground that many other similar groups have covered before, yet the raw, unrestrained energy displayed here is worth hearing. Musically the Underdog Conspiracy are centered around the prominent bass presence of Joe Krohn and gritty vocal delivery courtesy of Ryan Antrim and Ryan Beye. The guitars hark back to Lifetime and older Suicide Machines influences, yet occasionally one can glimpse a dedicated, simplistic rock/metal style that recalls early Black Sabbath. The majority of the tracks that make up Victory are the expected punk offerings, brief and straight to the point. When the group extends their attention span and makes it past the three-minute mark, they manage to truly shine, such as on "Alone" and the title track. Other standouts include the infectious hooks that create the bulk of "The Storm Is Now," the stop-and-go rhythm of "Blindness," and the spiritual ode "Eulogy." While little is offered on Victory to make it a true standout amongst any other hardcore/punk group, fans of Rancid and others in the genre may find something special in the devotion these five men give to their music. ~ Jason D. Taylor, Rovi