Customer Reviews

We're Down Til We're Underground

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

honestly ive always loved american nightmare/nothing/give up the ghost whatever you want to call them i had really high hopes for this album and theyve been fulfilled first of all for those who are saying its not hardcore you need to look at yourselves before you try and call these guys not hardcore im gonna rate this album almost as high as i would the first one (year one on reflections records or self titled and the sun isnt getting any brighter here in the states) simply because it sounds like something new again their early stuff still blows me away however backround music just sort of sucked when compared to the early work, sure there were a few stand out tracks such as i saved latin and we are and am/pm but the new versions of old songs just sound like bad covers but this album really really tears up backround music honestly buy it dont read this if you like AN buy it if you like hardcore buy it even if you like emo buy it you need this album

After recently purchasing "We're Down Til We're Underground" by Give Up The Ghost, I have to say that I'm very impressed. I've read a lot of negative reviews from fans about how GUTG don't sound the same, so I didn't how this one was going to turn out. Personally, I like it better than "Background Music." Musically, there's a lot more song structure to the songs, they added a good deal of melody to the songs (something that wasn't really there with American Nightmare) and basically the musicians really stepped up on this album. Wes's vocals are a little bit different, but in my opinion, better. He shows a lot more range in his vocals, and overall they put in 110% into the album.
The songs: the first song is an instrumental, kind of a build up towards "love american." It's an acoustic, then drums start slowly tapping, a little guitar riff, then the 1-2-3-4 into "love american." "Love American" (a song probably most of you know, who got the ep) is a cool song with the lyrics being the stand out. "Since Always" I think is the best song on here. As soon as I heard the opening guitar riff, I knew I was gonna love it. This is a great song, and actually the guys could probably release this as a single, and it would probably get played. The most diverse song on here is "Bluem", which actually stretchs into the 3 minute mark, they do a lot of stuff that they probably wouldn't do as American Nightmare. The layout is similar to "Background Music", but better, and plus the cover to this album is one of the best I've seen. All in all this is a great hardcore album. Favorite songs: Love American, Young Heart be Free Tonight, Since Always, Bluem, Crush of the Year, We Killed it. Least Favorite: Calculation Nation.

OK. First off the name of the record is "We're Down Til We're Undergound"...there is no 'Not' in there. Give Up the Ghost (formerly: American Nightmare/American Nothing) is either a band that you love or hate. This is quite possibly one of the most highly anticipated records of the year and for a good reason...it marks Give Up the Ghost's triumphant return after a year of personal problems and lawsuits. But the question is...are they the same band as American Nightmare?

Yes. Before the review goes any further...know that "We're Down Til' We're Underground" is not a regurgitated "Background Music". They haven't abandoned the sound that they created and made their own, but they evolved from it. This is probably the most diverse collection of songs I have heard from this band.

The intro threw me off a bit; it opened with an acoustic guitar. I was like..."Whoa what are they trying to pull now!?" Thirty seconds later it started to sound more like the band I was used to hearing. "One, two, three, four" and it jumps right to "Love American" (probably the song that everyone is most familiar with)...probably one of the best intros I have heard in a while. You can sense that the band has taken a giant step forward and they are leaving the past behind them. Wes shows an incredible amount of dexterity in his vocals and still writes those heartfelt lyrics that have become his trademark. As for the rest of the band...they have no problem switching it up a bit on this record. You will find that a number of the songs on this record have more of a build up to them. They aren't the types of songs that just blast out of the gate and never slow down. You will notice a number of slower parts in which it allows you to take a step back and realize that this record has substance and is a well put together. Nothing ever seems awkward or out of place; everyone in the band seems to compliment each other perfectly. I feel that this is just as good, if not better than any of their other releases (that is some stiff competition). This is one band that has yet to disappoint me. My hat goes off to these guys...great job.

This album was worth the wait. Short, fast, brutal songs...slow(er), heavy songs...they're all great (well, perhaps the final instrumental bit goes on a little long). Certainly different than "Background Music," but not joltingly so--it's a natural next step. And I'd say that this album marks another lyrical progression, as with each record, the words to the tunes get better and better. Nice artwork too. Definitely one of, if not THE, best hardcore records this year.

It's been a while since I've heard a band that has pushed forward in hardcore. This band is an exception. One of my favorite hardcore bands after just 2 spins in my CD player. Heavy, but true to it's roots; wether they be Black Flag, Bad Brains and Gorrilla Biscuits or Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, The Cure and Tool. It has something for everyone, and I might be wrong, but I think this album will catch your ear no matter what you're into. This stands out at a time when hardcore bands are a dime a dozen.

WOW!!! These guys once again shake the foundations of Hardcore music. After the well publicized legal action taken against this band for their former name "American Nightmare" they have risen from the ashes as GIVE UP THE GHOST, and let me tell you they are stronger than ever. In a scene that is filled with phonies and fairweather fans, bands like Give up the Ghost and Bane continue to stay on top. Hardcore is Life, Hardcore is Reality. Give up the Ghost embodies these values. BUY THIS DISC!!!!!!

I just don't understand how anybody can prefer this band's American Nightmare recordings to this. Don't get me wrong; I loved them as American Nightmare, as well as Give up the Ghost, but this album just excels in every way and is one of the most groundbreaking and transcendent hardcore recordings in recent years.

Sound:
Overall, it sounds kind of like you'd expect it to sound- like hardcore punk music. However, it is more complex in a few ways. As they did when they were American Nightmare, Give up the Ghost tend to expand beyond simple verse-chorus-verse-chorus song structure. Yes, there are sections with fast drumming, and hard strummed power chords, and yes there's the usual array of slower "breakdowns", palm muting, arpeggiated chords, and nice lead lines, but beyond that there's much more. You'll be treated to dramatic and triumphant build-ups lasting minutes, many songs organized into longer sections on top of and in place of the typical verse-chorus format. This has been done in the past, in many genres including hardcore, but Give Up the Ghost's execution of these techniques makes their sound much more than just screaming and power chords. 4/5

Vocals/Lyrics:
The vocals have been a major complaint among critics, but I consider them something that really sets this album apart from other hardcore albums. Wes Eisold's voice changed between Background Music and We're Down Til We're Underground. Well not his voice, but his singing style. He isn't fully screaming, but he isn't talking or singing either. It's hard to describe, but the effect it produces on the music as a whole is enormous. The way his voice cracks as he yells his lines, the way even his non-screaming voice sounds slightly hoarse, and the way he screams in general, not fully but definitely still full of passion, all blend together and make it sound as if he's somehow struggling to sing the lyrics. He sounds tortured in a way, which is a departure from the gruff, emotionless growls of vocals of more other recent hardcore bands such as The Hope Conspiracy and Terror (I love both, by the way!). This all blends beautifully with the lyrics, which are some of the most heartfelt, and at times depressing (in a good way), that I've heard from ANY band. Maybe you can technically call it "emo", considering "emo" music started as a type of hardcore, but this is definitely not the emo we see it nowadays. I guess you can either love his singing style or hate it. I love it. 5/5

Production/Album Cover and Insert:
Kind of two random things to lump into one category, but they both influence the quality of the final product. The production quality of We're Down Til We're Underground is great! No, it's not amazing, but it is definitely above the sound quality of Background Music. The mixing is done very well; the drums are crisp and clean, the guitars have just the right level of distortion, there's no feedback or background grittiness like on lower fidelity recordings, and the volume levels are perfect. Though recording and production quality can't make a dud album go platinum, or make an amazing one completely suck, good production really makes this album more enjoyable. Likewise, the album art perfectly complements such an emotionally deep album. The cover art is clever enough to be an independent work of art, and the layout and art of the booklet insert are beautifully done. Okay, so this has nothing to do with the music itself. But it shows how carefully crafted We're Down Til We're Underground was, and how much care was taken into making it a complete package. 5/5

Overall:
One of my favorite albums, and one of the best hardcore punk albums in quite a while, and, dare I say, of all time? No this isn't your regular run-of-the-mill hardcore punk, but if you can appreciate the emotional vocal style, beautiful lyrics, and innovative instrumentals you will love this.

Total: 14/15, 5 Stars

American Nightmare, American Nothing, and now Give Up The Ghost. Do you like hardcore??? Do like sincerity??? Do you need a soundtrack to help vent your everyday frustrations with life and love?????? That is exactly what this is, this one of the best records I have heard in a long time. Long live GUTG, and keep loving.......... get this

This album was a dissapointment to me after hearing all the other American Nightmare stuff. It's slower and Wes voclas seem bland and uninterested on some tracks. Background music was much more diverse, groundbreaking and energetic. If you don't own background music buy that first.

this album overall is just ok. not great, not bad, but in the middle.

I have always loved American Nightmare. I loved the self-titled CD, I loved The Sun is Getting any Brighter, and I especially loved Background Music.

But now they're on the decline.

This is a great CD--if you like alternative rock. This is a sorry excuse for hardcore. They are not brutal songs as one reviewer mentioned. Wes sings with a tired voice that wants to be hardcore but in reality is not. Background Music was the peak for this band. But Equal Vision Records eventually got to them as they have done with many other bands, changed their sound to make it appeal to a more mainstream audience, and ruined the band.