Unite - Playing With Fire

Ooo, I feel like I'm suddenly doing this thing as it should be. This tape was given to me by Ian from Stampin' Ground at the gig, to see if I would review it as it’s the first release on the man’s new label. I like this concept. People giving me tapes at gigs. Yeah, feels good. Sorry, totally irrelevant and self-indulgent bit over. Review the thing Dave. Ok, so what do we have here?

So, this is a 7 tracker which doesn't exactly hang around. Of the faster paced variety you might say. But that doesn't mean that everything is a blur, you can actually still make out the songs, due to a couple of nice little tempo changes.

But of course it does highlight my position as the Sunday driver equivalent when it comes to listening to and understanding hardcore. I listen, but I don't really know if it's good or not of the genre. It's just whether I like it. This I do, but I can't tell you who it sounds like or who it doesn't. I could say Knuckledust, but I'm not overly convinced it's that accurate a comparison. And many of the lesser known bands I've not heard anything by. I could end up telling you that I think the guitar in the fast stuff sounds like Slayer on say Piece By Piece, that naaa (slightly lower) naaa (slightly higher) naaa (slightly lower) naaa thing. It's a punk thing they say and if this piece of paper was able to sing I could explain what that was supposed to mean. So, if you like the music of Slayer, minus all the solos, then there's no reason you couldn't get into this. If you're hardcore, then it seems to have the relevant messages, and the shouty anthemic vocals (my copy is a bit too muddy to make most of the stuff out). And with a name like Unite and titles such as What We Share, Unite and My Choice, they seem to be pushing the right buttons.

Of the 7 tracks on offer, my own favourites are probably opening track Never Back Down and closing track Not A War, where the opening riff and the bass intro make for a nice little change. Though it soon hits full tilt again.

Contact the band on : Andy, 163 Shipwright Drive, Thundesley, Essex, SS7 1RG.

Available from: PO Box 15, Ledbury HR8 1YG. £5 Cheques payable to Blackfish Records