Customer Reviews

Rebel Sound of Shit & Failure

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Note: this original version on Vermiform contains the same mastering as the KRS reissue, but KRS inexplicably dropped one great song, Albany Academy, from the band's final 8" release.

This is a comp of singles, comp tracks, and liveage and is an essential document of early 1990s punk culture. Born Against were the kings of the early 90s. Musically they took combined the heaviness of NY straight edge with more progressive rhythms and structures, while keeping the anthemic impulse in the mix. Lyrically, just awesomely smart political hardcore that saw through the cultish aspects of sXe, acknowledged fallibility, and threw daggers at conservative politics while packing an emotional punch. For one example, "One time I'd like to see a cross set up for a real live human being who bled to death to maintain the sanctity of Mary and child" hits so much harder than say Bad Religion's "Operation Rescue."

Compiling tracks from the band's history, "...Shit and Failure" is a great way to get into this great hardcore band's material. Highlights include covers of X's "riding with mary" and the jefferson's theme "movin' on up", fast speed punk ("resist control", "the good father") and slower grinds ("I am an idiot"). Featuring most of their 7" and compilation cuts, this hyper-political band will make you slam and think at the same time. highly recommended. also check out their other releases, "battle hymns for the race war" and "nine patriotic hymns for children", not featured on this release.

there is more psychotic rage and venom packed into this crushingly heavy album than most anything I have ever heard. After years of listening to hardcore I found this and it made everything else I owned seem lame and weak. Emotion, fierceness and energy, and some of the craziest vocals ever. I always imagine the singer of this band going really crazy when I hear this. I bet he really flipped out on stage. Anyway, this is a must have, along with "battle hymns." Born Against is not a band to be sneezed at. You've been warned.

This is seminal classic stuff, as good as it gets in any genre.

However, I just want to warn folks that the original version on Vermiform, though it is otherwise sonically identical, contains one extra song--a great one called Albany Academy, from the band's 8"--their final release.

Still five stars, though.

This is easily some of the best hardcore punk rock released in the 1990s. While they had some of the slowness / heaviness that characterized 90s hc (and in some senses, soured it and turned it into slow, bland mosh metal ala Pantera) - they also maintained the great 80s-styled creative guitar work ala Black Flag or Articles of Faith. Truly great riffs. On top of that, Sam McPheeters lyrics satirized both the punk rock scene and the political world at large. ESSENTIAL FOR EVERYONE

This album really angered me because it made almost all my other hard rock and hardcore records become tame and diluted instantly.

This is probably the album that changed my life the most. Punk rock at it's best, with fast, angry music (at times sloppy, at times melodic) and angry, bitter, cynical, insightful, and funny lyrics. Though Born Against can do no wrong, I also think this is better than Patriotic Battle Hymns. The only thing to keep in mind is that the version of this CD on KRS (as opposed to the Vermiform release) does not have the song "Albany Academy" on it, which is one of the best Born Against songs. I don't know why they left it off, but I hate them for it - if you can get a copy of the Vermiform release, you are better off.

Born Against are on of the few bands who truly live the punk ideal (along with Crass, Conflict etc). And this is an album containing possibly the most vicious hardcore punk ever put to disc. It's blistering, raw, in your face, intelligent and dripping with cynicism. I would give it five stars if it were not for the awful production (OK, I know punk doesn't require fluffy production but some of these tracks are unlistenable). And some are just noise (ie Lillian, Alive With Pleasure).

But man are there some highlights. 'Resist Control' gets me bouncing off the walls, 'Eulogy' is one of the best anti-religion rants ever and there's even a catchy little number in 'Janelle'. 'Witness to a Rape' is a disturbing track about the objectification of women. My fave would have to be 'Nine Years': "Are we gonna set back, relax and watch TV while have-nots get their heads kicked in?"

And if you want get people looking at you strange, just try singing along! If you think of Blink 182, Guttermouth, Sum 41 or Pennywise when someone mentions the word 'punk', then you should avoid this like the plague...

This is the best Hardcore record ever made.