The Hardcore Scene and New York go hand in hand, almost seen as true siblings, and for almost 40 years now, in one guise or another, Agnostic Front have been the forefathers, the leading light in the genre.
As well as representing as uber god fathers of hardcore, Agnostic Front are often viewed as pioneers within the crossover thrash movement, with elements of the band’s DNA sitting proudly in the Thrash metal camp.
Roger Miret on the vocals, founding guitarist Vinnie Stigma and Bassist Mike Gallo have been a longstanding trio within the bands makeup, and they are now ready to unleash their latest opus, Get Loud!, their mind numbing twentieth full length album, alongside fresher faces in the Agnostic family, Craig Silverman on the six strings and Pokey Mo on the drumkit.
This package is constructed of 14 blasts, old school hardcore with a re invented intensity that is the true trademark of the New York scene.
‘Spray Painted Walls’ throws you straight into the pit, ferocious and compelling with breath taking riffs and vocals which are delivered with angst and power whilst keeping an element of precision and passion throughout.
The album continues without any real deviation. Each track is a myriad of vehemence and violence while Miret keeps the whole skeleton focused and on track. Miret almost appears as if he has been given licence to inject as much venom and muscle as is humanly possible, to conjure up a behemoth with force and might in copious amounts.
‘Conquer And Divide’ and ‘I Remember’ infuse speed and exuberance to the bundle with ‘Urban Decay’ and Snitches Get Stitches’ being prominent and worthy of highlighting as my own personal favourites on the album. They are delivered with a blast of speed, peeling away from the soul of the release, almost orbiting the other tracks with massive amounts of rage and savagery. Stigma and Silverman are technical and lightning fast while the backbone, the steel structure is constructed by the power and beast that is the combined power of Mo and Gallo.
Agnostic front have encompassed a new fresh healthy vibe on this release while keeping degrees of the classic hardcore vibe that the band has constructed their career around, this is in your face, a sprint round central park and everything that is expected from a piece sporting the Agnostic Front moniker.
(8/10 Phil Pountney)
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