Customer Reviews

Downset

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before Rage, Kid Rock, Limp,Korn, eminem and all of that other crap there was Downset. Formed in East Los Angeles, the lead singer being an ex-Gang banger himself, they sing about the Los Angeles scene: Hoplessness, Gang violence, racism, rape, police brutality and everything else that is wrong with this screwed up place. Hardcore (No metal-sorry all you ... long hairs) mixed with funk, Downset was the kind of band that would come on after a Suicidal Tendencies show and the fans would'nt miss a beat (Now that says something). They chose to stay underground and NOT SELL OUT! They stood by their fans and they lived what they sang about. Hard core rifts with a hardcore voice ... and hardcore lyrics! I saw Downset once and was blown away (I was never into all of that (C)rap/metal mix, and being a hardcore band with a funk underbite I was not disappointed. The lead singer began his set with saying this to the crowd "My mouth is the gun, the words are bullets, and the crowd is my target" If you [like] sell-out, band wagon [music]... than don't bother buying this cd...it's too hardcore for you. If not, then you wont be disappointed!

Look, first of all, just because Rage Against the Machine has made a lot of cash doesn't make them sellouts.... (Dave Eggers had a neat column about that whole phenomenon in Harpers once....) they've played the best of the music in the rock/rap category... and the lead singer of this bands slam on them in one song (which he later recanted) is kindof off base.... BUT....

This is one of my favorite CDs ever. They play tight hardcore but with a mad, positive message: they're not rocking like juvenile frat boys (Limp Bizkit), self-parody (Kid Rock), or in seeming confusion (Rage...). The rap and the hardocre is smoothe, and the message is second to none. We used to listen to this before football games till it scared the coaches.

Definately buy this album. It is one of my favorite albums ever (and I've had it for six years....)

I love downset... I realy can't say much but worth everything you've. If you into bands like 311,korn,ratm,limp bizkit then you be into downset. Get it!

Incredible. This album is damn perfect, no song should be missed. Worth every penny spent on this. Long life for Downset.

This album brings a very good mix of hard rock and hip-hop from the streets of L.A. at the time of the riots. Although this is an underground CD, it is probably one of the best albums I have ever heard. Hopefully, if enough people buy this album they will get the recognition they deserve and be #1.

Every song on this disc is awesome. The grinding two guitar attack, the heavy bass and drum backbeat and the screaming vocals and socially concious lyrics make Downset one of the best underground hardcore bands. Their lyrics speak out against racism ("Anger," "My American Prayer,") and violence towards women, ("Rape Ritual") as well as other issues such as racial violence and govenment corruption. Best tracks include "Take em Out," "American Prayer," "About to Blast" and "Breed the Killer." Listening to this disc will make you truly aware and horrified at the injustices of the world and the power of this band. Seeing them live is intense. Get this disc. Every song rocks!

this is the one! real crossover music, best rapcore on earth, downset mixes slum-style hardcore and hip-hop, with some punk, and the result is one of the best cd's around. Suffered lyrics, facing social problems, are what makes downset the best band around, you kick ass!

I've liked Downset since high school. My buddy let me borrow this tape way back in the day. I was hooked after hearing "Anger" for the first time. At the time, I didn't know of this rap/metal fad that would become so annoyingly popular. So to hear the angry metal and the rap lyrics was awesome.

I've also appreciated their angry, yet positive, messages over the years. Speaking out angrily against greedy capitalism, racism, sexism, etc. was something I needed to hear at the time. I was a rebel at the time (still am in many ways), but like so many other people, I went about it in a destructive manner. Downset was one of the first to help me see another way. You can rebel against all of the bad stuff society throws at you, and still have love for yourself and for others.

Raise a middle finger to sexism, racism, and greed in our culture. Raise it to all those who exploit people of color, women, and any other minority group out there.

There does tend to be a lot shouting in the lyrics. Many may find this lame, but its part of what I liked best about them. No, the shouting isn't my favorite part, but rather the fact that they didn't seem to care much to sound like others. They seemed to just say this is our music, take it or leave it.

As to whether they are as good as "Rage against the Machine" or not: who cares? Both are obviously talented. What's with the "my favorite band is better than your favorite band" talk anyway?

downset are not the greatest rap/rock mix like RATM but they are not a RATM type they follow more of a biohazard sound with the screaming rap lyricist and punk riffs made famous by pantera and biohazard especially bio-hazards album "mata leao". if you listen to downset thinking RATM you are going to be dissappointed because they are not the same style and rage had top-notch musicians (mr morello and brad wilk cant remember the other guy) but when i hear this biohazard pops in my head. and by the way HEAD PE is an awful band not even worthy of being in the conversation. people listen to them because they are different not because the are good.

I dug this CD a lot more back when it was originally released. Listening to it now, it seems a bit dated. The band roars, no question, there are quite a few heavy-ass riffs going on here. But the gangsta posing comes off as laughable now, it's like he tries to squeeze every street hoodie cliche imaginable into every lyric. That crap seemed cool in the early 90's but sure sounds silly now. Definitely worth picking up if the RATM style fusion floats your boat & you have no problem looking past the dated imagery.