Bane - Give Blood
Equal Visions Records, released in 2001
Bane is currently:
Aaron Bedard - vocals
Zach Jordan - guitar
Aaron Dalbec - guitar
Pete Chilton - bass
Bob Mahoney - drums
(note: Nick Branigan drummed for this album)
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Preliminaries
When one thinks of the term "Boston Hardcore" -- or, for the time being, hardcore in general -- Bane will undoubtedly pop into your head. Bane, which was originally called Gateway, was formed by ex-members of the metalcore band Converge, which I'm sure most of you have heard of also. Bane went in a different direction than Converge; playing straight up hardcore with an extremely slightened metal influence. Bane has toured with a slew of bands; whether they are hardcore or not. They've went overseas four times for shows as of this writing, showing their devotion to getting their music out to the world. Now, I'm not going to write a big as
s biography on Bane, as there is now one on their page on Sputnik. So I'm ending this rant with, Bane makes me proud to be from Mass.
Album Review
Now, to the album review. Most fans of Bane will say that "Give Blood", the second full-length they put out, is their best release to date. I have no objections. To me, this album is very near a flawless album, to say the least. The emotion that they put into this album is absolutely devastating. I hear people say that they have to listen to Bane a few times to get used to Aaron Bedard's powerful vocals. As for me, I fell in love with them the first time I heard Bane. It's a refreshing breath of life for hardcore vocals. It's not exactly screaming, it's more of a raspy yell that flows perfectly with the music. Lyric-wise, Bane excels also. They sometimes have multiple meanings for the words in the songs, which is awesome in my opinion. Bane can write some of the best lyrics in hardcore today.
When you listen to the first song on the album,
"Speechless", you don't have to wait long to hear some classic hardcore Bane. Right from the start, you hear Bedard yell, "Fuc
k yeah! I am still holding on!" This song is very heavy, and doesn't quit. This is one of my favorite songs on the album, and an incredible start to a fantastic album. The breakdown in this song is amazing, and the lyrics are awesome, and funny at times, such as, "How can I say this without sounding like come cheesy Motley Crue song?" Amazing track. Next up comes
"Some Come Running". About 10 seconds into the song, you can almost feel Bedard yelling in your face when he screams, "Out on the road, little boys let their beards grow." A little slower than the track before this one, but that doesnt keep it from being an awesome track. The bass is prominent in this song, many times with guitar feedback in the background. One of my favorite lines from this song is, "And I will not let clean shaven boys that all look the same toss hand grenades into this, my faith." Good stuff.
When that song ends suddenly, the next song,
"Snakes Among Us" starts up. This is the longest song on the album, clocking in at barely four minutes. It starts off very slow, with drums and a haunting bassline. Then the guitar comes in, which is equally as haunting. After about a minute, the song releases and really gets started. This song is slightly slower than the earlier tracks, but it is still an amazing track. Awesome lyrics such as, "We will be ***ing up and missing words, following you in a van that we had to beg to start." Allin all an awesome song. After this one comes
"Release the Hounds' I always thought of this song title as a "Simpsons" reference :lol:. This isn't the best song on the album, but it is definately a good song. One you won't want to skip. Prominent in this song is the amazing guitarwork in this one. It really stands out. A little over halfway through the song, the tempo speeds up for a little but, then goes back down. Great lyrics about the current state of the United states, with lines such as, "we need everything in every color to feel that we're alive. We've got to brag to all the world about all our toys, just like when we were five." Excellent lyrical song, but there are much better songs on the album.
The next song on the album is entitled
"What Holds Us Down", Not one of my favorites off the album, and the fact that it's the shortest song off the album doesn't exactly help it either. Pretty good lyrics, one of my favorite lines being, "We are only brave enough to fight the battles already won for us." The song does have excellent backing vocals, however. Despite that, this song just didn't do it for me. But, it doesn't really matter, considering the next song on the album. It's a song that may sound very familiar,
"Ante Up". Undoubtedly the best song on the album, and to many the best song that Bane have ever recorded. Almost every fan of hardcore has heard this song once or twice. It is almost flawless, in my opinion. Starts off with a few drum rolls and guitars, then Bedard yells into the song. The song is pretty much based around gambling and poker, but can be translated into many different meanings. The instrument work in this one is awesome, they all do a great job at letting this one flow. The breakdown is simply incredible. One of my favorites of all time. If you want to hear one song from the album, or one song by Bane in general, make it this one.
After that amazing track, comes another great song,
"Bang the Drum Slowly". Ironically, the beginning of the song sports the fastest drumming on the album. This is another of my favorites off the album. A very fast-paced song, despite the title. The song kind of lacks in the lyrical department, although I do like the lines, "Screaming who, what and when, like some crazed eight year old who needs to know everything in a world so filled with nothing." Although the lyrics are lacking, the rest of the song is incredible. I recommend this song. When that song is over, another awesome track is played,
"Sunflowers and Sunsets". Now i know what you're thinking right now, "OMGz dat title is teh emox0rz". Well let me tell you, this song is one of the hardest on the album. A lot of modified power chords are used in this one. Hell, there are pinch harmonics in it too! Alright, enough about the guitar. The lyrics in this one are pretty good, I especially like the Van Gogh line, "Was it Van Gogh who was crazy or the world that is crazy?" Very good song, another of my favorites off the album.
Next up comes another fantastic song,
"The Big Gun Down". Starts off with a guitar and bass lick, then goes into the song. Very slow at first, almost ballad-like. Then comes the hardcore part of the song. And my god what a hardcore part that is! Definately one of the hardest songs on the album. Excellent guitar work on this one, to say the least. There are great lyrics in this one also. One of my favorite lines in the song is the mysterious, "Rare like a ruby at the bottom of the sea, beautiful like the sparrow in the kittens jaw." Very awesome song. Finally, and frankly, unfortunately, we reach the final track of Give Blood,
"Ali vs. Frazier I" As some of you may or may not know, this title refers to the "Fight of the Century"; The first bout between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1971. This is an excellent ending to the album. I can't help but mention the breakdown first. Absolutely incredible breakdown. One of the best Bane has ever done. It really sets the mood for the ending of the album, and it does it perfectly. Pretty much a slower song then the rest, but still one of the best.
Conclusion
And that ends one of the great hardcore albums of all time. Boston's Bane are veterans in the hardcore scene, and it shows. 2005 marks Bane being around for a decade now, and in that decade have had 3 full-lengths and a few seven-inches. Lyricwise, Bane is one of the best. Instrument wise, Bane excels, especially in the bass and guitar sections. It's hard to find a good hardcore bassists nowadays, but Chilton brings it to you with great basslines. The guitarists can make sone great riffs, and the drummer does his job of putting it all together. Bedard is an incredible vocalist, one of my favorites in hardcore today. This is a MUST HAVE for any fan of hardcore, or anyone wanting to get into it. If any hardcore album deserves 5 stars, it's this one.
Recommended Tracks:
Speechless
[url=http://www.equalvision.com/evr/dl.php?song=441]Ante Up[/url]
Bang the Drum Slowly
Sunflowers and Sunsets
The Big Gun Down
Ali vs. Frazier I
Final Rating: 5/5
