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Ignite and Sick of it All…

Ignite - Our Darkest DaysYou know, I've never been a huge Ignite fan for various fairly insignificant reasons. In the mid-90's when they were more prolific they were a great live band, and I did have a few of their records, but the only one I kept over the years was the "Past Our Means" EP, which I still love. But the recording on "Call on My Brothers" never did it for me, and everything I heard from "A Place Called Home" seemed 50/50, so I never bought it. So when I learned that the band had signed to Abacus Recordings and was going to be putting out a new record (Which I believe is their third full-length, but only their second new release in the last decade—shit, it's been like six years since the last full-length!), I was curious, but skeptical to say the least. Hell, I really didn't even know they were still active! Well, I have to say, I'm shocked, because "Our Darkest Days" is fucking great, and within minutes surpassed "Past Our Means" to become my favorite Ignite release to date.

In many ways I can only partially refer to this as a hardcore record. I don't know, I mean, sure, there are a good number of hardcore styled songs in the zippy and melodic vein that Ignite has always traveled, but a lot of the songs are so god damn catchy and so god damn melodic that it's just insane. I mean, any mainstream "alternative rock band" or whatever could record a handful of these tunes and probably make millions. And that's no insult to Ignite at all, I'm not making any accusations with that statement. Those unbelievably infectious and memorable songs—driven largely by Zoli Teglas' unique voice and soaring harmonies, the dude's just a great fuckin' singer—are by far my favorites, and really make this album what it is. They even drop a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday"—which is probably the 5,000,000th cover of that song, but damn if this isn't one of the better ones. From a logical perspective there's simply no reason Ignite shouldn't become immensely huge based on the quality of these songs ("Let it Burn" and a few others, in particular, fucking blow my mind they're so jammed with hooks), but since the reality of what bands do and do not succeed at that level is certainly not a logical process... who knows? All I know is that these fuckers better not wait another six years to do a new record if they're gonna keep cranking out jams of this quality! It's not for everyone, but I fuckin' love it!

Ignite "Let it Burn"
Ignite "My Judgement Day"

Don't even try to tell me you're not singing along to that shit, 'cause you'd be lying. Shut up, buy it, and exercise those vocal cords:

@ Abacus Recordings

Sick of it All - Death to TyrantsAlso out not long ago on Abacus Recordings is "Death to Tyrants", the latest from one of the absolute greatest NYHC bands of all time: Sick of it All. I think this is their eighth full-length, and while they've never put out a bad record, as far as I'm concerned this is their strongest outing since "Scratch the Surface" in 1994. Whereas "Life on the Ropes" saw the band refocusing to some degree, this record sort of takes that one step further by combining everything the band has done in the last decade with an angrier drive and a heavier recording that really harnesses the overall density and low-end power that "Scratch the Surface" had. It's certainly not a throwback record or anything like that, it doesn't sound like "Blood, Sweat and No Tears" (granted you'd be an idiot if you expected it to), but there's definitely some faster and more pissed material here that should win back some older fans who might've lost interest after "Built to Last". The tempos are all over the map, so some of the stuff's got that catchy hardcore/punk gang vocal vibe happening, there's just the right amount of that dissonant post-hardcore melody, and as stated a number of the tracks are ragingly fierce. That's all there is to it, man. It's fucking Sick of it All, they're legendary and they're still going strong. There's not a bad word to be said about these cats. The end.

Sick of it All "Leader"
Sick of it All "Die Alone"

Downloading shit is weak as hell, so pick it up:

@ Abacus Recordings

Comments

  1. Wow, within about 30 seconds of the Ignite songs I was singing along.  That’s fucking hilarious.

    5.19.2006 | By Ryan

  2. Both of these albums are going to make it onto my top 10 hardcore albums of the year. The Ignite album is so catchy that I find myself singing along to it when I’m out in public. People are freaked out since I’m tone deaf.

    5.19.2006 | By eddie

  3. The SOIA is incredible.  I think it’s the first time they’ve ever had the right kind of production for what they do.  The mid and low range sound on this is spot on and as a whole the sound is just fresh.  I wasn’t sure they had this in them, I’m impressed.

    As far as the Ignite, well, at least they managed to make Zoli sound a little less like Freddy Mercury this time.  The lyrics are pretty good too.

    5.19.2006 | By Johnny

  4. Before this post I was afraid to invest in either of these albums and now I cannot wait to get my hands on them, thanks andrew!

    5.19.2006 | By Anonymous

  5. Andrew, I couldn’t agree with you more. Both of these records are in heavy rotation around our house.

    5.19.2006 | By Carter

  6. hell yeah the new Ignite and the new SOIA are kick ass. Best Ignite album ever and maybe even best SOIA album ever (and Andrew, hell yeah I bought the album even after having recieved a leaked downloaded version). Respect to both bands. (brooklyn)

    5.19.2006 | By Anonymous

  7. Both are great albums. SOIA showed they still have plenty of life in them and Ignite are consistent as always. I’ll be listening to these discs for a long while. You should give Place Called Home another shot.

    5.20.2006 | By Paul

  8. SOIA continues to impress, years and years of solid hardcore.
    Ignite, they pretty much are pop punk. Never liked them, those vocals kill me.

    5.21.2006 | By Anonymous

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