The Bay Area has always been known for producing some great punk acts. One up-and-coming band is the newest addition to the Asian Man family, For.The.Win. This three-piece play a pretty solid mixture of melodic punk and positive hardcore on their debut album, The Black & The Blue. What we have here is about twenty minutes of sometimes hardcore, sometimes pop-punk, and full-time positive lyrics.
There are two sides to this band, there's the melodic punk side of the band, which is driven by endless hooks, melodic choruses, and gang vocals. And then there's the rougher, more hardcore side of the band that has more of an in-your-face sound. The catchier side of the band is showcased on songs like the fantastic opener "Let it Begin" which is driven by it's uplifting chorus of "Watch the revolution begin, I hope it never ends!" The track that follows it, "Another Day," does a good job of this as well only the tempo is a bit faster and it relies more on gang vocals and the harmonies in the chorus. "I'm An Outsider" could have the potential to be a radio-hit if the vocals were less gruff, but it's great the way it is and it's one of the best tracks on the album for sure. For.The.Win. saves the best track for last with "Die Young," it begins with an acoustic guitar intro and then evolves into a Bouncing Souls style punk song.
Unfortunately, the band's more aggressive side is a lot more forgettable. Most of the rougher songs fall under two minutes and don't' have anything that's entirely memorable, but they're fun while they last. There's also a few instances of sloppy musicianship like the buzzing riff in "Choke" and the obnoxious pounding snare drum that never goes away in the fifty-nine second jam "Attack." These shorter songs aren't bad but they just don't leave an impression like the catchier songs do. I feel that they sound like a more coherent unit when making the gritty pop-punk songs rather than the minute long headbangers.
The whole "posi-core" genre isn't something that suits well with a lot of people but For.The.Win do a good job at delivering a positive message without coming off as terribly preachy. It's one of those records that makes you feel a little better if you sit down and read the lyrics. The band's powerful punk sound make this an easy listen as well.
The Black & The Blue has it's standout moments but it's a little too short to be considered anything noteworthy. Lasting a little under twenty minutes, this record goes by quickly with a few songs leaving an impression which, for the most part are the longer, more structured songs. With some better production and a more focused approach, For.The.Win's. next album could really leave a mark.
