Those LA homeys are back. With guitarist (Martin) in touring machine, Terror, and his brother, Dre, playing roadie for big bands; the output of Donnybrook! is sporadic. But when it hits, it hits like a friggin' brick. Stemming from that LAHC fam directly with Skare Tactic, Blood Stands Still, Through This Defiance; you know what music to expect. Madball and Terror type shit. Fast riffs with a hip-hop bounce; a tough street sound.
This came out 6 weeks ago. And i have rocked it rather frequently. It holds up. I get excited by this brand of hardcore, while others may dismiss it as "Tough Guy" slandering it as generic. I mean, when you want to exorcise some frustration, this shit is dependable. It gets me energized and ready to throw some fists in a pit.
If you are a fan of past DB shit, expect the same; with some solid representation. Still tight, still solid. Still tough as fuck. But different enough to cop the new shit. The riffs and double bass pounce is going to to get you moving on the floor quickly. And when that breakdown comes; prepare for kung-fu theater.
"Accept the inevitable. This world was not meant for peace!"
The lyrics are not self-aggrandizing, they remain down to earth. They are negative, hateful; a stark warning. They for the core, for the crew. But not dumb, generic words. Check "Concrete Speech" - which praises the verbal weapon. "Something Awful" addresses the betrayal issue when someone mistakes "kindness for weakness". "The pain is not something to fear". A fun song, "What's a Little Blood", is dedicated to the mosh. But really why we sweat it up with other bald dudes, taking our lumps. "forget everything in the outside world and release the aggressions inside. but respect each other and have a good time." No tough guy posturing, just an acknowledgement of the physical manifestation of our venting.
I will say - there are clear vocals, strained but not screamed; even, raps once in awhile. And there is actual 'singing' for lack of a better term. Different, but it works (not like KSE or anything). The guitars are tight and crisp; heavy. Dive bombs here and there, 1 solo; but mostly just straight up riffs crashing forward to pounding drums.
For anyone that dismisses this style of hardcore, i simply ask: "is its spirit any different from AF and Cro-Mags, or WarZone?" i think not. And you have to understand that what you may interpret as "tough guy"; these dudes have been down since day one and the "take no shit" attitude is empowering to some kid who has been down and out and now wants find urgency and purpose in this new found scene. ("i will not lose!")
While you can claim "For Fans Of" DBD, Death Threat, Furious Styles; even, the Trapped Under Ice, Forfeit, Bitter End stuff; this really takes 90% of its cues from Terror and newer Madball. Which i love, so this gets respect from me.
