Eleven Hours Down - There's Hope in the Darkness (2000)
This Oklahoma based band has certainly impressed this reviewer with their debut cd on Kirk Campbell's (Eternal Decision) Godfather Records. One thing I love about this disc is the originality and diversity between songs. The songs are varied and all sound independent from each other (which is the opposite of typical hardcore where a bands songs tend to all sound the same). The music is non-stop relentless energy that will slam you into the wall one minute and then throw you into a moshing frenzy the next. The bands bio listed comparisons to TFU, and although some tracks are similar to that style of hardcore with odd time signatures and changes, the songs here have more groove and structure. For the most part the vocals are harsh hardcore style yells but ocassionaly they throw in some clear emotional vocals. The production is great. The guitars are heavy and have a lot of feel with start-stop segments and driving rhythms (ala Helmet). The drums and bass playing are tight and well performed. Overall this disc is well executed and a worthy purchase for the new generation of hardcore. -- Review by Norm