Well, we had it coming. This is Maine hardcore outfit Outbreak's sophomore release and not much has changed from their Eaten Alive 7", a blessing for fans. Outbreak are a typical love-or-hate band and I for one cannot get enough of them. Some praise their brash antagonism, whilst others criticise for overly negative themes in their lyrics as the 5th song on You Make Us Sick, 'MP', shows:
Hey stuck up prick, yeah that's you
This one's about how much i hate you
Whine and complain is all you've done today
An ignorant motherf
ucker with nothing good to say
The world will be a better place
When someone knocks you in your f
ucking face
Do me a favor, f
ucking die
So i don't have to listen to you bitch and cry.
Unsophisticated? Maybe even childish? Well that's Outbreak for you. Musically and lyrically, they've been doing the same thing for a while now and their fanbase still surges with new people every day, drawing people in with the sheer aggression of their sound. Even so, each song on You Make Us Sick is unique and undeniably catchy, although this may not be all too obvious after a first listen. Better production than Eaten Alive is observed, adding to the album's appeal. On the subject of appeal, the only thing that could detract from this album's in the slightest are the lyrics, although their pugnacity is in good fun. Conversely, it is felt by Outbreak's fans that the lyrics are what makes them a great band and I am inclined to agree with them. But still, this brand of aggressive hardcore may not be to everyone's taste for a number of reasons.
You Make Us Sick is actually a very short release. Hell, it doesn't even go over 20 minutes, but that's the case with a number of records today. Outbreak make up for the short length with their urgency and every other cliched phrase of adulation. I feel that this album is of an optimum length; Outbreak aren't one of those bands that, for whatever reasons, you can listen to all day in my opinion. YMUS thankfully ends before it begins to bore the listener; you can listen to this without skipping a track which is somethting I appreciate in a CD. I don't buy an album for a few good songs and a lot of filler to add to its length.
In conclusion, this band are the polar opposite on the hardcore spectrum to the likes of Modern Life Is War, preferring to utilise complete and undiluted animosity in their music as opposed to the more emotional and technical stylings of the latter. Don't listen to this album expecting extraordinary musicianship although they still are evidently proficient with their instruments, this is just unadulterated and angry hardcore near its best
