Review
The Frontline
Withstand

Grave Mistake (2005) Clarke

The Frontline – Withstand cover artwork
The Frontline – Withstand — Grave Mistake, 2005

When hardcore started it was fast, powerful and had a strong positive message. While today much of hardcore has lost its sense of positivity, The Frontline brings a great message and great music back with their debut EP, Withstand.

Frontline adds in an uplifting message without sacrificing the intensity, energy and power of the hardcore style. The lyrics speak of withstanding pain, living life one day at a time, and giving your all. Right now you're probably thinking to yourself, "This kid needs to shut up about their lyrics." Let me show you why I brought up their lyrics. Here is a sampling taken from one of their songs:

Will we ever have another chance to make up for the void in our lives?

Can we fill it with care?

Can we bind in with rope?

We must have hope!

Now you many of you may find that cheesy, but how many hardcore bands can you think of that talk about such positive things?

This band has strong influences from Chain of Strength, Insted and Youth of Today. So if you are a fan of any of these bands or any other positive hardcore band, I would give these guys a chance. They look to be one of the most promising bands in the hardcore scene right now.

8.5 / 10Clarke • July 11, 2005

The Frontline – Withstand cover artwork
The Frontline – Withstand — Grave Mistake, 2005

Recently-posted album reviews

Økse

Økse
Backwoodz Recordz (2024)

Økse is a gathering of brilliant, creative minds. The project's roster is pristine, with avant-jazz phenoms Mette Rasmussen on saxophone, Savannah Harris on drums, and Petter Eldh on bass/synths/samplers joining electronic artist and multidisciplinery extraordinaire Val Jeanty (of the fantastic Turning Jewels Into Water project.) The result is a multi-faceted work that stands on top of multiple sonic pillars, as … Read more

Final

What We Don't See
Room40 (2024)

Justin K. Broadrick's prolific output keeps giving, and may it never stop! The latest release is one of Broadrick's earliest projects, Final, which started in the power electronics tradition but since its resurrection in the early '90s, it is solidly standing in the ambient realm. Final's new full-length What We Don't See continues on the same trajectory, relishing drone's minimalistic … Read more

Bambies

Snotty Angels
Spaghetty Town Records, Wanda Records (2024)

The digital files I’ve been listening to as I write this review are all tagged to begin with the band name, e.g. “Bambies Teenage Night,” “Bambies Love Bite,” etc. It seems like a fitting metaphor. The Bambies play the kind of Ramones-adjacent garage-punk that’s often self-referential and in on their own joke. The Bambies play leather jacket-clad, straight-forward punky songs … Read more