Come Out Fighting- Youth or What's Left of It review

Come Out Fighting- Youth…Or What’s Left of It CD review

It’s strange that this kind of punk has never really been appropriately classified… it seems like it would be a genre done time and again.  Not quite so, it seems; it’s some kind of hardcore, but despite sounding a little like this with a little influence of that, they don’t sound like any other band.  Innovative, not so much; different, and a little deviant, hell yeah!  Anyway, this record/ band is two parts youth crew, two parts 90s hardcore, and one part melodic hardcore.  Gang vocals and blistering drum beats, fast, chugging lead-rhythm guitar, breakdowns, introverted lyrics, and melodic vocal styles are what make up this band.  I must say, the band puts on a very energetic show, and that energy translates well into the studio.  It feels like the punk rock jock just became self-aware, renounced his oppressive and elitist ways, and began trying to get his friends back.  That being said, not a single member of the band is actually a jock; in punk and hardcore, we’re ALL fucked-up weirdoes who’ve been drawn together because we fit in with one another, and don’t fit in elsewhere.  Onto reviewing the tunes now…

Lyrical content has a central focus, but has a very wide spectrum covered; “Last Ride” is about the JFK conspiracy as more of a narrative than a government cover-up (as some anarcho punk has undoubtedly suggested before), while “Max Pain” is a community support song, and the final song on the album “Too Many Bros at the Brodeo” is a self-deprecating tune about the stereotypes of and within hardcore; the only reason I haven’t keeled over in laughter is because of how incredibly true the song is.  For real, up the cunts!  The double guitar approach really gives the band a full sound, lends a boost of power to the hardcore riffage sometimes lacking in single-guitar groups.  The bass is appropriately audible, a distinct change from most punk, where it’s hardly audible at all.  The punchy bass lines do help the band out too; I’ll commend the audio master on that one.  The vocals are very clear, very melodic, very emotional, and still possess much in the way of power.  This group is incredibly well-rounded sound wise, influence wise, and personality wise.  This is what makes a band A BAND.

This is one of the better releases hardcore has seen come out of Michigan.  Deviant, engaging, and thought-provoking, this band ought to be spinning somewhere in your house, be it the living room, garage, car, or bathroom stereo.  It’s floor-punching, wall-breaking hardcore that leaves the building intact.

-Aunty Social