Review Summary: A merciless pummeling of modern hardcore that, while a bit silly at times, gets you signing along to its anti-authority screeds.
After several listenings start-to-finish, the overall sensation I have by the end must be what a boxer feels like at the end of a seven-round fight.
A fight that started before he even got his gloves up.
Lesra, a hardcore act from the northern Swedish city of Umeå, have proven that they can make compelling hardcore. 2010’s The Green Rage will likely get you singing along to the refrain of “Class war! Class war! One day we’re going to get what we came for!” Overall, it was well-produced, catchy, and kept things simple and short.
Three years later, You Get Out What You Put In, is an extension of that sound. The vocals of Erik Lindberg are backed up by the thunder of the other band members at key points, rolling into choruses that consistently try to be anthems that anyone can pump their fist to. A key change in production is that the percussion (particularly the bass drum) have more of a popping sound that adds to the earlier boxing analogy. The audience is the punching bag, and each 2 minute song is a furious assault.
The bass follows the lead, and the rhythm section pounds along beside two guitars. Rather than use a small toolbox of riffs and keep to a static place in the songs, the guitar work is creative and keeps from fading into the scenery. However, just like the vocals, this is mostly a team effort. A cohesive sound runs through You Get Out What You Put In.
Lyrical content is pretty stock material- anti-conformity, anti-authority, nihilism. It works well on the whole, but some songs are pretty silly and without substance (“Shut Your Mouth” is pretty self-explanatory). It’s all an extension of the lyrical content of The Green Rage, and there’s no drop-off. They’re still angry, and they still can use to make good music.
There are short stints where the vocal strategy (Erik, then gang vocals, then Erik, etc.) is mixed up, with other band members or guests vocals drop in for a verse. It’s a welcome respite, though a segment of “Arson Party” has a distracting vocal addition that torpedoes the song.
On the whole, Lesra has produced two albums that can compete with other acts like Agnostic Front and Madball on the modern hardcore scene. At 21 minutes, it’s hardly an epic, but it’s also hard to get tired of. Lesra plays fiercely, then exits the stage and hopes their sonic assault made an impression.
