Beyond the Bad Reviews
D. Braden | Denver, CO | 11/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first time I heard The Warriors, they were still relatively unknown in most parts of the country. Their War is Hell album had yet to be released, and they were the first of five bands on a show playing a tiny club in Denver, Colorado. They had never really toured this part of the country and they were still very much in the developmental stages of their sound.
A year later, I had a become a pretty big fan of the Warriors and their debut album. I made it a point to catch their shows every time they were in town, and I found myself listening to War is Hell pretty frequently. For some reason, though, when they put out their follow-up - Beyond the Noise - I was I reluctant to purchase it. I had read too many negative reviews, and heard too many rumors about the record: simple songwriting, increased use of melody, a more "posi" hardcore style. I made the choice to avoid the record based solely on the opinion of others, and I was fairly content with my decision.
Well, that all changed after seeing The Warriors a couple of nights ago. At the show, I found the new material incredibly compelling, so I decided to shell out my hard-earned $10 on a copy of this record. I got home from the show and put it in my player expecting the worst. Much to my surprise, though, what I got was an inventive, passionate, tastefully executed melodic hardcore record. I've heard the standard comparisons to the likes of Inside Out and Rage Against the Machine, but I personally think that this album draws better comparisons to bands like Snapcase and Quicksand, but with a an undeniably heavy edge.
The band hasn't changed as much as some would have you believe, either - they still sound like The Warriors to my ears. The clever guitar lines, the gang shouts, and the interesting electronic nuances (à la Refused) all still remain intact on this record. The only major difference I can hear is an improved sense of melody and progression. The songs feel like songs now, and the album is much more cohesive than their previous effort.With Beyond the Noise, The Warriors have vastly improved their sound and vision. Unfortunately, though, with that progression, the band seems to be the victim of some harsh criticism. My advice: don't give into the reviews and rumors - you owe it to yourself to give this album a chance. In the end, you might be pleasantly surprised."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1