Thrash N' Bang!!!

Live Fast Die Fast – “Keep Your Fingers Crossed”

 

The first time we heard of New York’s Live Fast Die Fast was when they sent us a CD to review a while back. I, immediately, liked their name because it made me think of my favorite Circle Jerks song, “Live Fast Die Young” (something I forgot to do). And when I listened to their sound I was more than impressed (and changed my soiled undergarments accordingly).

I mentioned this CD to Chief Editor, Andy Bang, and how I thought we should review it. He said we shouldn’t as we usually wait to see a band live before reviewing their recorded work.

“We’ll probably never see them, they’re from New York,” I said, “But the music is really good.” Lesser minds prevailed and Andy ended up doing the review. And shortly after, much to our surprise, we became aware that they we’re playing the Midway at Refuse Resist’s farewell show in a couple of months.

That was their first show there (great show, in fact, it sold out) and since then they’ve been back many times. And now we consider them one of the best hardcore units in this region and this CD is perfect proof why.

But first let me mention that Live Fast Die Fast was the first New York band we featured on our site and it’s because of them that we switched from covering strictly New England bands to New York bands as well. And now we’ve added such great New York bands as Abject and Straphangers because of their lead.

So let’s live fast and check out some tunes.

 

“Brother’s United” has the lyrics, “We are hardcore, hardcore united, this is our family, we stay true.” Sounding like the Dead Boys with a shot of adrenalin, instead of the naughty things that band was most likely injecting. This is pure venom, passion, aggression racing in your bloodstream, exploding in your face as real as the people and streets of New York City. “Through the hard times that we struggle, pick me up when I stumble.” This song has slashing, slicing guitars, pounding drums, powerful vocals and a stream of emotion that strikes hard and true into the center of your soul.

[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/02 Brothers United.mp3|titles=Brothers United]

 

“Begin Again” starts out with ominous chords as if Black Sabbath we’re a hardcore band. “How much more can someone take?’ This song is an intense, pounding rant with propulsive rhythms and calamitous guitars ringing behind it. This song is so great that I can take as much of this as they can give.

[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/04 Begin Again.mp3|titles=Begin Again]

 

“Uncertain” has a dissonant chord change with exhorting vocals and rolling, percussive drums. Eventually, everything calms just slightly, “We take it to the streets,” before striking hard again. This is a short burst of anger, passion and aggression and though this is called “Uncertain” I’m certain that it’d great.

[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/06 Uncertain.mp3|titles=Uncertain]

 

“Horror Stories” is another venomous song with vicious vocals. I like how the back-up vocals say “Horror” like “Whore are” with the New York accent shining through- like a cup of “core-fee.”  But this is another intense bite of minor keyed, dissonant chords backing up a decimating diatribe with drums kicking down the stall from the first whistle. “I learned the hard way” is part of the breakdown and this being the last song on the cd, fades out after a blistering album full of in your face passion and spite.

[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/09 Horror Stories.mp3|titles=Horror Stories]

 

After enjoying so many of their live performances I did wonder how I would react to them in the studio. My expectations were exceeded as this ranks in the top three albums I’ve reviewed this year.

Talking to other folks it would seem their reputation is as high as our opinion of them. I consider them one of the top hardcore bands we cover along with M-13 and Damn Broads from Connecticut and Reason To Fight from Rhode Island.

So I can’t recommend that you live fast if you want to live long but I can recommend this album and I’m glad that I stuck around long enough to hear it!

Here are some lyrics from the album:

“It’s a sense of community, of knowing you’re part of something bigger than yourself, part of a living, breathing history of dissent, anger, and revolution. Hardcore isn’t just a “genre” of music, it is a way of life. It is a conviction and a dedication to a lifestyle that’s more valuable than any bullshit that they teach us in their schools, or try to sell us on TV. Hardcore is potential, a movement of like-minded people who want nothing more than freedom, peace, and equality. And we fight for it with every word we sing, every song we write, every show we play. Every drop of blood, sweat and tears it is the underground and the underground is us. Hardcore is a way of life.”

 

(Slimedog)