The problem with the hardcore scene is that its music has become so immersed in repetition, unoriginality, and generality, that people are beginning to lower their expectations to the pits of Hell. As a result of this dilemma, large amounts of hype start to swell for bands that really do not deserve it.
Case in point: Modern Life is War.
I have heard nothing but praise for this band. True, I'm certainly not Joe Hardcore and not really big on the genre, but usually when a band from the hardcore scene pulls this kind of hype behind them, I can usually see why the hardcore kids are going nuts about them, as overrated as they may be(ie; Give Up the Ghost, The Suicide File). Modern Life is War are simply not very good.
People keep telling me that they've got an "original sound", yet I personally can't tell you what they're doing new, and most of the time, neither can the person who swears upon the band's imagination. Their uniqueness is so limited that I can only say "they have an original take on generic new school hardcore".
Like most hardcore records, My Love My Way lacks variety and any real surprises. The production quality on the record is painfully low, and I begin to wonder if that racket in my garage late at night a few months ago was actually the recording of this record. The vocals are sub-par, even for a hardcore band, and the song writing is just plain unimpressive.
While some bands continue to take hardcore and push it forward with new sounds(Hot Cross, the Blood Brothers), so much so that calling them hardcore might get you pummeled by a tough guy crew, other bands continue to cause hardcore to stand still, such is Modern Life is War. Truly unimpressive.
One of the best, if not the best, hardcore album of 2003 so far. If hardcore doesn't strike your fancy, stop being a cold hearted wench and check this out anyways. The only thing that is better than this album is seeing Modern Life Is War live, which is packed with stomping and diving rolls. This doesn't sound like Madball, Youth Of Today, Hatebreed or Gorilla Biscuits, which provides a nice diversion. There aren't any bands in particular that MLIW reminds me of, and they are a hardcore band...INSANITY! The breakdowns that are laced into the ferociously written songs come off naturally and in no way sound formulaic. The most awesome and powerful song on the LP is "By The Sea" which creates a new level of epic in hardcore. It starts out with a clean guitar etching melody into a wall of dissonant feedback provided by the second guitar. Then the volume increases and the rock begins to peek it's head from it's hidden tunnel. The speeds kick it up and the vocals kick it in, desperate throttled screams that ennunicate every sound, accompanied by kick ass lyrics that plea for change. Then with some rocksteady beats comes a decrease in speed and intensity. Like Magneto, they seize everything they can with their mutant powers and bring it all to the height of its magnitude with a melee of singalongs and kicks to the ribs. Don't let that one description differ you, the rest of the album is powerful, this one just kicks me the hardest. There is a lot of hype surrounding this band, ever since their first 7" and tour, but in this situation it's there for a good reason. The liner notes are beautiful and really well done. This band feels real like the third dimension and is in it for all the right reasons, don't let these hot young boys slip through your hairy knuckles!
