Bitter End is a five piece hardcore band from Helotes, Texas of all places. Helotes is a smaller city that is just northeast of San Antonio. Right now, this is the farthest place I can think of that I would find a band playing NYHC in the vein of Leeway and Killing Time. Okay, I know there are other bands from the West Coast playing mean tough as nail true to the streets hardcore. Yes, I know Europe and Asia have their NYHC clones, however just humor me this Monday morning.
Mind in Chains showcases six meaty thick t-bone tough hardcore tracks sizzling with lyrics about being trapped in the mundane bullshit of life, being betrayed, the scene, and other topics that you can grill over. Bitter End is an A-1 prime well done cut choice of this type of brutal menacing hardcore, which is rare in this era of mediocrity, cash cows, and copycats. Mind in Chains is fast occasionally with some molten lead shredding guitar licks that are coupled with groove laden mosh parts so the kids can do that crazy two-stepping they love do these days. I wouldn't even blink an eye if I saw some old school picking up change or lawnmower action in pits all across the biggest state in the union.
I've heard bands like Bitter End a million times already with their nod to early 90's crossover NYHC. I'll probably here it half a dozen more this month alone because bands such as Bitter End as well as like minded acts such as Guns Up! and On the Outside have garnered a lot repeated listens in iPod's and consistently keep showing up in LastFm playlists. Bitter End have this style of gruff in your face NYC style hardcore down to a science that I can almost picture them walking down some alley in The Bronx as opposes to some bar-lined street in Helotes.
Hardcore in 2006 seems to have only two schools these days and that's either play fast as hell or be mean as fuck. Bitter End attends classes at the latter and is scoring a 6.5 with sheer intimidation and a "fuck you all" attitude. Sure, Mind in Chains is nothing new to my ears but it's played exceptionally well and the insert shows a bunch of sweaty kids having a sweaty fun time so who am I to complain? This is hardcore, not Dream Theater or pretentious indie rock. It's not even crazy mindfuck noise sludge metal so it doesn't have to be "amazing," it just needs to be good. Mind in Chains is a good slab of wax. If I lived in Helotes, Texas I'd be pretty stoked to have this band in the scene. I wonder if they have a decent steak joint in Helotes because all of the sudden I'm really hungry for some grilled top sirloin piled high with some mushrooms and grilled onions.
