Man, this band are pissed off. Perhaps not in way that, if you've been busy listening to the new Trivium single, you'll recognise or fully understand. But there's enough naked anger here to fuel hardcore for the next decade. Except that Modern Life Is War don't want much to do with that particular genre at all.

Where their previous album, 'My Love, My Way', excelled at pushing Modern Life Is War away from hardcore clichés, the experimentation this time round is rife. From the distorted attack of 'The Outsiders' to the ugly hybrid of Converge and Motorhead that is 'Young Man Blues' there's little to anchor the band to the scene that has so far contained them. 'Martin Atchet' sneaks great chunks of melody into the guitar mix, 'Marshalltown' is a storm cloud dirge and 'I'm Not Ready' could be the best song Mogwai never wrote if it wasn't for the hoarse vocals sprawled on top it.

Frontman Jeffrey Eaton still sounds uncannily like Rise Against singer Tim McIlrath but the steam-powered intensity of his words here elevate the young singer into a different league. His fantastic words equal his bands desolate noise, hell even the artwork here excels. And still there's a sense that the band's trajectory is ever upwards. There's a feeling that, even though they pull away from trite hardcore formula with every note, they want even further out.

'Witness' isn't blessed with the same frantic speed as the band have employed before, the tempo is slower throughout, but parts of 'John And Jimmy' and 'Young Man On A Spree' prove they can still accelerate wildly at will. The almost upbeat 'D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S' has a touch of pace to it as well and is something of a centrepiece. Surrounded by bleak and draining volume it is a punk powered and melodic treat. Eaton still shouts himself raw but it feels like he might even be having fun rather than exorcising some bastard demon. Then the squealing, stomping endnote of 'Hair Raising Accounts...' arrives as one of the most compelling five minutes that aggressive music has ever produced.

There are only nine tracks here and they blister by in just under half an hour but there's so much passion in the band's delivery, so much caustic brilliance here, that this record takes you on a real journey and the end comes as something of a relief. Until you hit repeat and start again.

Rating: 4/5 by Simon T Diplock

Tracklisting

1. The Outsiders (AKA Hell Is For Heroes Part 1)
2. Martin Atchet
3. John And Jimmy
4. Marshalltown
5. D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S
6. Young Man On A Spree
7. I'm Not Ready
8. Young Man Blues
9. Hair Raising Accounts Of Restless Ghosts (AKA Hell Is For Heroes Part 2)

Further links

Deathwish Inc.

Home of Converge, The Hope Conspiracy, Ringworm, and more...

Modern Life Is War.net

Official site of Iowa hardcore stars Modern Life Is War