Customer Reviews

Live for Today

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

 

 

Bands who write records to please the scenester dwellers never survive. Bands like BSF, who actually create the scene itself, move forwards with better songs, stronger messages and thrive in doing so. Anyone who wants to linger in the past can do just that, after all, the band has many releases to choose from. But for those of us who see that the world is bigger than a label's logo or a scene, there's great bands like Boysetsfire. What this band is doing, and where they are going as artists is called GROWTH and PROGRESS - not "going soft." The songs on "Live for Today," as well as their upcoming full-length, are a natural progression for a band as talented as this one. The EP offers you up 2 songs that won't be on the album (1 studio and 1 live) as well as 2 that will be so you'll be able to clearly see where they are at now, and where they are going. The live tracks are great as well; they're both raw AND high in sonic quality - a rare mixture these days. "Live for Today" is a great teaser for an incredible album to come next Spring - no matter if you've never heard them before or not. And after next Spring, you surely will...

I believe that "After the Eulogy" is Boy Sets Fire's best album yet. With that in mind, I purchased "Live For Today" not quite knowing what to expect. After listening to the new songs, I decided that the album is fairly good. The new songs are a little different than "old" Boy Sets Fire, but they seem to be a very smooth progression. The lead singer's vocal ability is amazing. I do not understand how someone could scream his lungs out night after night and not compromise the melodic aspect of his voice. You get a good taste of the range of Gray's vocal ability on this album, just like in "After the Eulogy". Furthermore, the lyrical content, the meat of Boy Sets Fire, remains excellently defiant and poignant. I hope this is a good indication of their upcoming album. If nothing else, buy it for the live versions of "After the Eulogy" and "Rookie".

Hardcore saviors Boysetsfire released a six song E.P. in light of their upcoming release, "Tomorrow Come Today", and it has done a great job at subduing the feelings of violent excitement. With previously unreleased and live tracks that show the real side of the Delaware natives. Starting off the completely amazing new track "Release The Dogs", which shows the heavier side of Boysetsfire. With a massively loud riff filling the whole sound and with lyrics like "Hands tied with pleasure, now we're choking on their ..." you have got to love this song. The seemingly Tool inspired "Bathory's Sainthood" is an amazing mix of melodies and hardcore riffs, and even bringing in lyrics like "Do you feel alive now, now that you own the dead, praying on their corpses, their hearts no longer feel..." which sounds more like a black metal quote. The last non live new track, "Curtain Call", is a resurrection of old school punk like early Offspring and early A. F. I. With live renditions of old favorites "After The Eulogy" and "Rookie", older fans will be pleased. Finally, the live version of their latest song "Handful Of Redemption", which will also be on their upcoming album. This is why it received only 4 stars. The song is not really what you would expect, very soft, and not very intense. But that is just an opinion. Over all, this E.P. is an amazing release that should keep ravenous fans at bay until this April.

Hardcore saviors Boysetsfire released a six song E.P. in light of their upcoming release, "Tomorrow Come Today", and it has done a great job at subduing the feelings of violent excitement. With previously unreleased and live tracks that show the real side of the Delaware natives. Starting off the completely amazing new track "Release The Dogs", which shows the heavier side of Boysetsfire. With a massively loud riff filling the whole sound and with lyrics like "Hands tied with pleasure, now we're choking on their ..." you have got to love this song. The seemingly Tool inspired "Bathory's Sainthood" is an amazing mix of melodies and hardcore riffs, and even bringing in lyrics like "Do you feel alive now, now that you own the dead, praying on their corpses, their hearts no longer feel..." which sounds more like a black metal quote. The last non live new track, "Curtain Call", is a resurrection of old school punk like early Offspring and early A. F. I. With live renditions of old favorites "After The Eulogy" and "Rookie", older fans will be pleased. Finally, the live version of their latest song "Handful Of Redemption", which will also be on their upcoming album. This is why it received only 4 stars. The song is not really what you would expect, very soft, and not very intense. But that is just an opinion. Over all, this E.P. is an amazing release that should keep ravenous fans at bay until this April.

Hardcore saviors Boysetsfire released a six song E.P. in light of their upcoming release, "Tomorrow Come Today", and it has done a great job at subduing the feelings of violent excitement. With previously unreleased and live tracks that show the real side of the Delaware natives. Starting off the completely amazing new track "Release The Dogs", which shows the heavier side of Boysetsfire. With a massively loud riff filling the whole sound and with lyrics like "Hands tied with pleasure, now we're choking on their cum..." you have got to love this song. The seemingly Tool inspired "Bathory's Sainthood" is an amazing mix of melodies and hardcore riffs, and even bringing in lyrics like "Do you feel alive now, now that you own the dead, praying on their corpses, their hearts no longer feel..." which sounds more like a black metal quote. The last non live new track, "Curtain Call", is a resurrection of old school punk like early Offspring and early A. F. I. With live renditions of old favorites "After The Eulogy" and "Rookie", older fans will be pleased. Finally, the live version of their latest song "Handful Of Redemption", which will also be on their upcoming album. This is why it received only 4 stars. The song is not really what you would expect, very soft, and not very intense. But that is just an opinion. Over all, this E.P. is an amazing release that should keep ravenous fans at bay until this April.

PLEASE -- let a band develop artistically without throwing around words like sell-out. . . Live for Today is a great postcard from a band that loves its fans but also wants to get their message to a larger group of people. The melodies will give you chills if you let them -- why insist that nathan only scream? Really, this is a natural progression, not a step back or sideways. . . Excellent mix of agressive guitars and percussion, beautiful melodies and poignant lyrics.

This CD is pretty much in the same style as After the Eulogy. This is my fourth BSF CD and I must say I am still impressed. Like After the Eulogy, it blows the older BSF away. The combination of the softer songs, the heavy songs, and the epics is what makes this band great. The only compliant I have is that 3 of the songs are here are going to be on the next album, albeit one of them is in a live version here - before this EP none of the BSF EPs included songs from albums...but oh well, it still rocks and I can't wait for the new album...Tomarrow Come Today.

I love Boy Sets Fire, and think "After The Eulogy" may be the best modern hardcore album I've ever heard. According to the sticker that came with this CD, their new album, "Tomorrow Come Today", will be out April 13, 2003. While I don't agree with the band's move to Wind-Up, their music sounds better than ever: Nathan's voice has doubled in power! I think the biggest indicator of the band's growth (or of a change in production style?) has to be the drums on this album, which are just incredible.

"Release The Dogs" opens the CD, and here we see how the singer's voice has changed: Nathan's growls on this song, as he sings "we've swallowed them whooooooole", are incredible! This song is phenomenal. "Bathory's Sainthood" is almost as good as the first track, partially because of the killer drumming.

The weakest song on the EP might be "Curtain Call". For any other band it would be a great song, and as it is the song is enjoyable, but it does not display the band at their best.

The "Most Unnecessary Song On The EP Award" is a tie, going to the live versions of "After The Eulogy" and "Rookie". While good for new fans, they don't sound too different from the original album versions (either the band is incredibly tight live, or they've been produced to death). The other new song on the EP, "Handful of Redemption", yet again showcases the band's growth: it is one of their most melodic and contains the most optimistic lyrics from them yet, perhaps even surpassing those of "In Hope".

All in all, this is a decent EP, with some weak spots. Because it's so short and almost half of the material seems like filler, I would have given it 3 stars. However, the other songs more than make up for these faults. I'm sure the new album will be incredible! If you're just learning about the band or are a long-time fan, songs like "Release The Dogs", "Bathory's Sainthood", and "Handful of Redemption" make this CD necessary!

"Live For Today" is 6 song EP, most likely to hold BSF fans over until their new album comes out April 1st. It's a split between 3 live and 3 studio tracks, which prompts 4 new songs. As I sat and listened to this CD for the first time I had some very mixed feelings. The only way I can give this a fair review is to break it down into a few key songs:

Release The Dogs: this is a really intense song, I love the verses, and other than a spot to be left unnamed in the chorus, the lyrics are masterful. Release The Dogs is a [great] song but, there's a major turn off surrounding it. Now I'm as patriotic as the next guy, but damn, enough is enough. This song was clearly written in memory of 9/11; I think everyone realizes the magnitude of the tragedy, and literally hundreds of songs have been written in it's memory, but I think it's time to move on, not forget, just move on. Overall, I did like this song.
Bathory's Sainthood: There's not one dull moment in this song from its Schism-like intro all the way to the end. The characteristic soft parts mesh with the heavy as if they were born together. If this is a representation of the album to come, I'll be first in line to get it.
Curtain Call: This is your typical Boy Sets Fire song, sounds much like their others, nothing special here.
Handful Of Redemption: This is the last of the four new songs on "Live For Today". This song sounds like something my mom listen to in the late 80's when we'd take long car rides. It's a very well-written song, and would sound really good in the credits of "Rudy" but, it just doesn't have much energy. Sounds pretty much the same as Curtain Call but with a 80's pop-rock chorus.

It may seem like I'd want to race back to the "Record Exchange" and demand my money back, well, I wouldn't sit here and give this CD my longest review if I thought it [was no good]. Only the new songs were mentioned, the two of them plus two of the live recordings make "Live For Today" well worth the money, even if it is only [a few dollars]. Less than a dollar a song, not many bands can do that and make ...

What a disappointing year for hardcore albums. Save your money and don't buy this. Unless you are a hardcore fan of BSF, the songs are softer than the last, going toward the radio genre. I guess with MTV, major lablels, and money the once vital music of the hardcore community has been pretty sad as of late. Not a bad record if you have never heard them before, however...