Close To The Edge NYHC – “Demo”
Close To The Edge is a New York hardcore band that takes all the wonderful songs by the English progressive rock band, Yes, like “Roundabout” and does them hardcore style.
“And mountains come out of the sky and they stand there.” Yeah, No shit- they just stand there! They’re mountains what else do you fuckin’ expect them to do? Somersaults?
Actually, the band does take their name from a lyric of the famous rap song “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash who is also from New York. And yes, punk and rap were invented in New York. Prog rock and glam we’ll give to the Brits. “Don’t push me ’cause I’m close to the edge.”
And don’t tell Jaime, the singer from Close To The Edge, that I brought up Yes while reviewing them. He’s rather large and young and I’m rather old and frail or I’ll be rather close to the edge of death if you do so. He could easily pull the limbs from my body like you might with a fly. And as amusing as I’m sure that might seem to you all, I need my limbs. My arms to write and my legs to walk to the gin joints to see the shows I review.
So yes, they don’t sound like Yes. I mean, no, they don’t sound like Yes. You get what I mean- Yes?
Abject was a great hardcore band from New York we enjoyed until their recent breakup. Their guitar player is now in Ache, who we reviewed last week and the singer, Jaime, along with a couple of other abject Abjects started Close To The Edge.
And they sound great and I’d say this even if my life didn’t depend on it.
But seriously, this is old school heavy New York hardcore that is played so good it’s as if their lives depended on it! Let’s give a few tracks a spin.
“Sickening” is about the “pharmaceutical sales industry” or the legal drug pusher industry. This is an industry that is supposed to help people feel more physically well but is governed by greed and making money off peoples illness. And the health industry lives off your sickness- how sick is that? “CVS stopped selling cigarettes/ There’s no health concern/ They just make more selling Percocets.” And did you know that former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani was a major “pusher” in getting Oxycontin approved? This song starts with some ringing chords and a buzzing, almost rockabilly lick that makes this song sound like a Dead Kennedy tune pulled into the twenty-first century. The lyrics of this song could make you sad but the pure punk and precise rhythmic pounding of the rhythm section along with the grinding guitars and growling vocals should cure what ails you even if the system sucks.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/01 Sickening.mp3|titles=Sickening]“Vice Grip” starts with some feedback screeching guitar and some jungle beats. And I’m hoping we’re gonna go into “Stranded In The Jungle” a fifties tune covered by the New York Dolls but what we get is just as good, eventually bringing us to a hardcore chorus. “Blame all the unions/ Distort the truth/ Divide and conquer/ Walk off with the loot…To the company store/ We’ve sold our soul.” The verse has a background chorus that chants “harder and harder to breath.” The ending is that chant with the rhythm section joining in and proving that no matter how bleak things get at least great songs like this come out of it.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/05 Vice Grip.mp3|titles=Vice Grip]A slashing guitar chord and some gurgling bass starts “Rebuilt” off leaving it for the drums to bring every one into the fray. “Fuck band wagon jumpers, like Slimedog and Andy who go with the flow/ Dick riders following the trend/ The real rode out the storm and would proudly do it again.” The verse is built on an ominous metal guitar line and a bashing- one hit to the beat- hardcore drive of the drums. At the chorus the drums switch to a more moderate rock beat while the vocals keep punching like it’s got the combative on the ropes. “From the basement to the stage/ the momentum has been regained- rebuilt.” A little breakdown, some back up shouted vocals all add up to an effective, powerful song of commitment, passion and truth.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/06 Rebuilt.mp3|titles=Rebuilt]Some chugging chords and a ringing bass chord leads “In Plain Sight” off. The vocals and drums come crashing in knocking all the silver ware to the floor and turning over tables. “Your whole life is a lie/ You can’t bullshit me behind that thin veil/ A clown is all I see/ Fuck you and your beliefs.” Crushing metallic guitar and bass lines, pounding, merciless drums with emphatic, intense, emotional vocals combine to make this, my favorite song on the cd. “The damage cannot be undone/ From the truth you can no longer run.”
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/02 In Plain Sight.mp3|titles=In Plain Sight]“Don’t touch me ’cause I’m close to the edge. It’s like a jungle, sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under.”
BREAKING NEWS: The bands name does not come from the song “The Message” but, in fact, comes from the singer Jaime feeling a strong, spiritual bond with the guitarist from U2- The Edge. Hence, Close To The Edge.
Oh, no. Oh, no. Now, I’ve done it. I wish I could find the erase button. If I could then I’d have a chance to save myself. Now Jaime will surely smash me to smithereens!
And all kidding aside- this band and Ache, who I reviewed last week can stand neck and neck with the best of current New York hardcore like Live Fast Die Fast, Done With You and Straphangers. And they can also stand neck to neck with all the great New York hardcore bands like Murphy’s Law and Agnostic Front.
New York hardcore- pure, raw and strong. Does it get any better than that?
And though this is most likely my last review, let me say it’s been a pleasure as the punk scene lives on proud and true. Its been a pleasure and a privilege serving you.
So seek out Close To The Edge as I’m close to the ledge and just need a finger to push me.
(Slimedog)
