 | Tracklist:
1. Stay Afloat
2. Second Chance
3. No Remorse
4. Give It A Name
5. White Noise
6. Fixation
7. Realist
8. Sour Grapes
9. Two Feet On The Ground
10. Microcausm
11. Let Me Forget
12. Don't Need You
13. Positively God Free
| Ranking: #126 for 2010 | |
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On 34 Lists
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| Summary: Hardcore that really hits the spot... and I mean like every spot- almost painfully so. |
5 of 5 thought this review was well written
Ever been hit with a sandblaster? Well, either way, please let me describe it to you:
It. Fucking. Hurts.
I had my experience with the pulverizing machine once, and I don’t need another. Body parts you didn’t know existed will sting. You’ll find inklings of sand ingrained into your skin; and trust me, it’s not as fun as finding, let’s say... a tick on you. To be as blunt as a sandblaster with you, I wouldn’t wish this experience on anybody else. Thankfully, Punch aren’t exactly like a sandblaster. In fact, the passionate delivery and intelligent songwriting on Push Pull is anything but machinelike. Still, the unbridled ferocity and the “stabbing in the ears sensation” you’re likely to feel when listening to Punch at high volumes (not recommended) couldn’t help but remind me of being pulverized by sand. Push Pull certainly is irate, blunt, and accelerated, and the unrelenting anger leads me to believe that Punch absolutely must have found some inspiration in Yosemite Sam, or perhaps Mike Tyson. Nevertheless, the hardcore outfit from San Francisco that shares two members of Loma Prieta have released an intense onslaught of 100m.p.h. hardcore- angry, breakdown-laden hardcore, and it couldn’t be more satisfying.
“But didn’t Loma Prieta themselves already release a fiery little LP this summer?” you may find your inquisitive self asking. Oh inquisitive you, just take my word for it: Life/Less pales in comparison to the impassioned ire of Push Pull. Like a fucking sandblaster, Punch hits you from every angle. Shrill, pulverizing female shrieking in the vocal department? Check. Blistering breakdowns? Check. Fantastic instrumentation, particularly Punch’s ability to perform seamless transitions? Checkity check. A breakneck intensity that doesn’t pull any punches (I told myself I wouldn’t, but it’s just too easy). Check, check, double check!
You see, it’s a tad ironic to compare Punch to some of their members’ other band, Loma Prieta even though the two lie in different genres, because Punch essentially succeed where Loma Prieta lets me down. Throughout the assault of spine-tingling fury, Punch work within the realms of an intelligent song structure. Perfectly-placed breakdowns become a highlight on Push Pull, oddly enough. Try listening to “Fixation,” “Sour Grapes,” “Microcausm,” or practically any track without being impressed by their ability to set the songs up so efficiently, I dare you. While it’s easy generic hardcore bands that copy to wear their oh-so-unhappy hearts on their sleeves with vehement vocals and potent, lightning-fast musicianship, Punch separate themselves from the pack by reminding us that hardcore can have a brain, too.
It’s the coherency of Push Pull that you’re going to find most gratifying on repeated listens. For example, the lyrics aren’t brain-dead, either. Listening to the pain stricken delivery of the vocals, it’s evident that the lyrics share more in common with screamo than they do with hardcore- as indicated by the insane number of question marks. You’re not just getting yelled at violently for 16 minutes. No, you’re being begged politely how you feel about consumerism or perhaps feminism, for instance. Well, admittedly that’s a bit of a stretch; but the intelligence and coherence of Push Pull is certainly striking, and it’s the feature that makes me want to hear this searingly-sounding, sandblaster-like, ear-tormenting ordeal again and again.
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All you kids who pretend to listen to hardcore like I do will looooove this
ugh album art, please approve asap, Go-! I mean, Mods!
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album's good, though the chick can get pretty grating. i'm on and off with female screamers
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Admittedly, I haven't had this for too too long but I've been playing it like non-stop and love her vocals. thanks for commenting, though.
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if you like this you may enjoy the scramz band Hiretsukan. try out their album End States. they use a lady screamer and she sounds very similar. it's screamo so it's obviously not as brutal, but the vocals are identical it creeps me out
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cool, thanks for the rec, I'll probably get to that eventually I'm sure
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Hardcore with girls? Eww *runs to myspace to check it out*
Digging: Challenges - We Ruined The Neighborhood Digging: Challenges - We Ruined The Neighborhood
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just listen to it! and hooray for album art! : ) maybe people will actually look now?
but probs not
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Is that the right artwork SeaEmery? It was all I could find
Digging: Amon Tobin - Amon Tobin
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Yes, thank you Mr. Magic-Touch Deviant! I couldn't get it to work some reason, I was about to ask you for help, haha
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This is awesome...minus the vocals. I just can't handle it.
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This might sound like i'm on a high horse or something, but yours has has to be approved mine doesn't
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I thought contribs didn't need approved too? I knew you had that special power though : )
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I thought contribs didn't need approved too?
Wouldn't have the foggiest tbh
Nice review as well etc, not my thing though
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thanks man. the pg looks much better now too...
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No worries
And yeah, if I see a review on the front page without artwork i'll normally add it on
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Enjoyed the review as always, this seems less my style but maybe I'll give it a shot
Shrill, pulverizing female shrieking
this sounds mildly lethal
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sweeet
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intro is awesome
also, new comments look is pretty cool
Digging: The Weeknd - Echoes of Silence
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band is named punch. will check this out.
Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned Digging: Hop Along - Get Disowned
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yeah, what exactly changed with the comments??
and thanks guys, I hope you like it, and if so, spread the word!
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