Don't Trip is a hardcore band that hails from the Bay Area of California. Northern California has been a hotbed for hardcore bands in recent years, so it's a hard game to jump into. After a self-released demo last year, Don't Trip comes back with the ten-track Root of All Evil. Expanding on the style they performed on the demo, Don't Trip plays heavy-tinged modern hardcore in the vein of Down to Nothing and Bracewar.
The album opens with "Restrain," a heavy instrumental intro, which gives you a taste of what you're in for. Usually the "hardcore intro" seems mundane, but they do it very well, playing it right into the second track, "Senseless." Here you get your first taste of the vocals, which do a good job of adding some ruggedness to the band. Not to say that the music is soft, but the instruments are very well-executed, and the vocals give it a rougher feel overall. The recording is very well done, and every off-beat and palm mute is placed perfectly within the song.
"God Warrior" might be my favorite track on this album, even if the subject matter is relatively jaded within hardcore by now. The first riffs are perfectly heavy, and the song then segues, via a drum fill, into a new beat. You can tell that these guys wouldn't settle for any missing parts or botched guitar riffs. The album ends with "Melted," ending with a sinister sounding breakdown perfect for those pile-ons.
The Root of All Evil is filled with the fast punk beats, slow mosh parts, and sing-along parts that will get you moving at a show. There's nothing especially genre-bending about the songs, although you do get a nice harmonizing Anthrax-type jam towards the end of "Trample." These ten tracks will only last you about twelve minutes, but it doesn't feel rushed at all. All of the songs flow into each other very well; rarely will you even realize that the album has gone to the next track.
Overall this is a solid effort. These guys have been working to get their name out there for over a year now and this self-released full-length is evidence of their commitment. They were determined to get this out there rather than risk the wait for some small label to pick it up. They have a split cassette with Southern California's What Life Is that was just released as well, so be on the lookout for this band in the near future.
