Customer Reviews

Urban Discipline

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I moved to New York City in the summer of 1992 after spending nearly all of my youth in southeastern Virginia. Flipping the radio dial to find out what sort of stations I could pick up from my new apartment on 121st Street, I stopped on a station at which I heard roughnecks with Brooklyn accents being interviewed about a new album they had coming out. When they started playing songs off the album, I couldn't believe my ears. What sort of radio station would play the sort of hardcore/metal I heard blaring out of my speakers? And who was this great band?

A few minutes later, I had the answers to my questions: 89.5 WSOU Seton Hall's Pirate Radio and Biohazard. You had better believe we didn't have anything like WSOU down in Virginia so I listened to it like crazy over the next 7+ years. Biohazard was the first of many bands I got into because of WSOU. Their tales of life on the streets of Brooklyn laid down over hardcore and metal grooves captured my imagination. When I first got to NYC, I was a bit afraid of moving about my neighborhood at night, yet the guys from Biohazard were getting into all sorts of crazy situations in Brooklyn and were damn proud of it. I'd like to think Biohazard got me over that tentative stage real quick and over the years I came to understand why they were so proud of being from Brooklyn. Now that I've lived in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn, and worked in Queens over the years, I can say that Brooklyn is the coolest of the boroughs (does Staten Island even count?). Brooklyn's got all the grittiness of the Bronx as well as some of Manhattan's cultural sophistication, but without all the pretentiousness.

And if there's one thing Biohazard are not, it's pretentious. Like a Brooklyn-style ass-kicking, Urban Discipline just pummels you from start to finish. The only relief you'll get is when it's over, but knowing the sadomasochist that you are, you'll probably just hit play again and absorb yet another whuppin'. The album's great from start to finish, but I'll list a few standout cuts just to whet your appetite: the impossibly heavy `Shades of Gray', `Urban Discipline', `Wrong Side of the Tracks', and the Bad Religion cover `We're Only Gonna Die' should do the trick.

Earlier this year, WSOU converted to a more varied format after 15 years of playing "New Jersey's Hardest Rock". Metal-heads aren't exactly the most lacrimose of people, but you can bet that more than a few tears were shed over the demise of WSOU. At least Urban Discipline still exists and you can play the CD yourself, even if WSOU won't be playing it anymore. And if you happen to find yourself in Brooklyn, just remember Evan Seinfeld's advice: `When you're in Brooklyn, you'd best watch your baaaaackkkkk!'

i remember catching biohazards "punishment" video on headbangers ball in the early 90's .a gang of about a thousand very scarey looking fellows strolling through the streets of NY.coming to beat the worlds ass!very powerful images for a very powerful song. i could hardly wait to hear it again,so i picked up the cassette.i'm barely now, nor have i ever been a big rap fan,i like funny stuff like old luke skywalker,too short,digital underground,slick rick etc.(bigger fan than i thought)but anyway i love every song on "urban discipline" the music is tight,very powerful, w/ more of a groovy/funk element than one of hiphop. the angst ridden roars of rap fit the music perfectly & you get a good sence that these guys really know what they're talking about . i've been an extreme metal fannatic pushing 20 years now & biohazard are no lightweights. BUY IT IT JAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'Urban discipline'? One of Biohazard's best ever ! Get it by all means if necessary, you'll never regret it... It's a perfect crossover album which combines inspired hip hop lyrics with the nicest metal/hardcore songs ever issued. These guys were not faking and each song is as lethal as a bullet... This was the Biohazard I was used to revere in the nineties! There is nothing to throw in the garbage in it and, a hardcore fan would be foolish ignoring this true masterpiece...

Whenever I hear kids talk about how original Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park are, it makes me sick. But what scares me is the fact that kids think that rap-rock started with them and Rage Against the Machine, hell there are kids that think heavy metal in general started with them. Well, this album should be used as a reminder of just who made who. "Urban Discipline" is one of the finest albums ever made, not to mention Biohazard's greatest. The mournful "Loss" is extremely well put together, and remains a concert staple today. "Punishment", "Hold My Own", and the title track are personal favorites of mine as well, all of which are layered with heavy hardcore grinding guitars guided by hip-hop beats. If you have never listened to Biohazard before this is the album that you should start with. "Urban Discipline" is an all time landmark in metal more than it is a classic, and it is essential to any metalhead's collection whether you like rap or not.

Biohazard were definitely original back in the day. Unfortunately whatever impact this album may have has been softened up by the influx of rap/rock bands who are mere shadows of the fore-fathers of the genre. That said, if any of you are wary of this thing called "rap-rock," Biohazard is your best bet. These guys did it first, they did it the right way, and this record holds true even 10 years after its release. Uncompromising, undisguised, and unabridged.

This is one of my favorite albums along with Vision Of Disorder's self titled album. Biohazard are one of my favorite bands ever, along with Vision Of Disorder. It is the best combination of rap and rock ever. It beats Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park by far. It even beats RATM, it makes them look weak. My favorites are Disease and Punishment

Biohazard was the band that I listened to most during my high school years. It not only had captivating lyrics that dominated on the problems of urban life in the United States (drugs, crime, corruption, racism, etc.) but it also had some of the best metal acoustics in the 90's grunge-obsessed era. These guys were essentially white men experiencing the harsh realities of living in Brooklyn, and all of their songs expressed their hard-earned lessons. If you like powerful heavy metal guitars and drums that are guided by hip-hop beats, then you will love the fusion that Biohazard's "Urban Discipline" is.

Good point! That was one of the lines from the talented, well written, influental bands of this country. If you want to be influenced by their writings, then this is the Cd to own. They have a nice metal guitar sound. Trust me, this album is a winner.

this cd is really hard to forget punishment,business,disease,urban dicipline,loss,rerecorded wrong side of the tracks/hold my ownand mistacken identity you can tell which side of the tracks their from.the sound on this cd is much better the st cd and the are definity more pissed off but now they are branching out more( more rap infleunce)but still heavy.they now have a good record company to push the off the east coast and round the world and into new spot lights.the musicanship is clearer to hear with cleaner sound and better production.this cd will mangele you ears and trip your anger into overdrive. this is a must have !

This album is a MUST! These guys started it!! If you think Rage Against the Machine was the beggining, think again. Biohazard's comes straight from the ghettos of Brooklyn with it's classic 2nd CD which fuses down and dirty hardcore with in your face hip hop to produce what was to become the "NU-Metal" scene we see today. Listen, learn and enjoy! Oh and see them live for a real treat!