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Reviews
Flex
Your Head (Canada)
Album
Of The Week 17/02/03 - 24/02/03
With the demise of Anthem of the Century (Join The Team Player Records), folks
were saddened by the loss of a true UK hardcore contender. They needn't have worried.
The first to visibly spring from Anthem of the Century's ashes was Sworn In (Bridge
Nine Records), dousing any doubts that there would be anyone capable of taking
over the UK hardcore crown. Now, next in line is another UK band featuring ex-Anthem
of the Century members, Steel Rules Die. Steel
Rules Die take a much more melodic approach to their hardcore than their brethren,
Sworn In. Avail and early Hot Water Music spring instantly to mind as potential
influences. Melodic and tuneful, with a solid dose of chunk, Nostalgia For Beginners
neatly slips back and forth from slowed down and rocking hard, to picking up the
pace for an energetic no-holds-barred blast. Certainly it's a recipe that's been
successfully employed by many before, but these Brits know their slow from their
go and have the balance nailed. Overall, Nostalgia For Beginners is a damn good
release from a promising band.
Fracture
#24
Although
I find most contemporary hardcore bands rather dull these days,
I' m always ready to embrace a band that stands true to my own
interpretation of the term "hardcore". Unfortunately
they are few and far between, sure there are plenty of angry hardcore
punk bands who sacrifice melody, song construction and emotion
through the music for angst and vitriol, fair enough. But for
me, sentiments need to be backed up by a flair and degree of musicianship
in the band's music prowess that showcases a heart in the creative
process as much as the lyrics....blah blah blah I talk shit! STEEL
RULES DIE are MY definition of hardcore music, simple as that.
Music that hits you hard on every level, but instead of just bludgeoning
you with a sonic holocaust, they have put together a sound and
style that blows you away on every level. Thoughtfully crafted
songs with every ingredient you need to make this style head and
shoulders above the rest, dramatic intros, a variation of tempos,
a spot on production, it's all here. Tight as hell, intricate
yet organic, with exceptional vocals that compliment the music
and vice versa. The songs go exactly where you want them to, from
tension fused breakdowns into anathematic choruses, but always
holding a great melody, very similar to the style of AVAIL and
maybe even SPEAK 714. There's not a weak track out of the eight
on show here, it's a solid release without flaw and I'm prepared
to state that these guys are one of the best hardcore bands, not
only in the UK, but in the world. It takes alot of ingenuity to
make this genre sound fresh and exciting still, as well as talent."
(DS)
Inside
Knowledge #7
(Holland)
Two ex-Anthem Of The Century guys are in this band.
I loved the way AOTC played old school, but with a rougher punk
approach. We can all rejoice, Steel Rules Die are doing just that
on their debut CD. like Avail, Good Riddance and Reach The Sky
working together....aggressive and almost barking vocals, but
with a post hardcore foundation. Punkrock as punkrock is supposed
to be, with a hardcore edge and some 7 Seconds melodies. Including
a beautiful booklet designed by Sworn In singer Delaney.
Ox
(Germany)
Schön, dass es immer wieder erfreuliche Überraschungen
im schmalen Bereich zwischen Punk/HardCore/MelodicCore gibt. STEEL
RULES DIE gehören definitiv dazu. Erfrischendes 4-Piece aus
England (2 Gitarren), die eigentlich eher wie die "großen
Brüder" aus Übersee klingen - da fallen mir spontan
HOT WATER MUSIC oder AVAIL ein, gepaart mit einem Hauch STRIKE
ANYWHERE. Treibender,
aber melodischer Hardcore mit Ecken und Kanten, mächtiger,
etwas kratziger Gesang, das Midtempo voll durchgezogen. Die Texte
der 8 Songs drehen sich ums alltägliche Dasein inclusive
der bekannten Höhen und Tiefen. Wollen dieses Jahr wohl mal
das Festland betreten...und das sollten wir uns nicht entgehen
lassen, denn diese Scheibe ist ganz weit vorne! (8/10) (21:44)
Reflections
Zine
(Holland)
I saw these guys play while being on tour in the
UK with Reaching Forward, and even though you could tell they
weren't around for too long, it was also obvious they had quite
some potential. In At The Deep End Records saw that too, and this
is the bands first release. Eight songs of fast, yet melodic hardcore
with a modern twist. The artwork is done by Delaney Jae from Sworn
In and looks awesome. They have good lyrics and musically it might
need a little original flavor, (it strongly reminded me of Good
Riddance) but this is another promising new band out of England.
(JP)
Fashionline
(Issue 5) also has a feature
on SRD
Very impressive debut from the band featured earlier, Nostalgia
For Beginners blisters along with so much energy you would think
you are listening to an EP. The foursome during their incarnation
as SRD, have bonded into an impressive sound. Not wanting to hang
around 'Signs Of Cloudy Days' (track 1) shows that hatdcore does
not have to possess a lead singer with a 'poddle on helium' style
scream to convey aggression, and possess, one of the catchiest
chorus', I have had the pleasure of hearing in may a year. Comparisons
have been made to American melodic hardcore stalwarts Avail, there
are obviously similarities (none of them bad mind!) - SRD have
put alot of heart into the album and the melody is more linear
than the more 'all out' hardcore bands. That said, the sound is
rawer on occasion with tracks like 'Still Waiting For The End'
demonstrating a fantastic opening riff that develops into a beautifully
emotive chorus. The best things about the hardcore scene are represented
in Nostalgia, the aggressive rhythm section, powerful - yet sometimes
surprisingly passionate - delivery and objective stances on some
life's most profound issues. Not so long ago I wondered if my
days of sweaty venues, laughing at ridiculous 'windmilling' and
enjoying the cathartic effects getting the odd accidental black
eye were over. Nostalgia reminds me why I started listening to
hardcore music in the first place and indeed why I shouldn't stop!
Rocksound
(April 2003)
With
a certain knack for spotting some of the UK's best underground
bands, In At The Deep End have done it again with this Leicester/London/Northampton
based quartet. Already having shared the stage with the likes
of Grade, Strike Anywhere and As Friends Rust since forming just
over a year ago, Steel Rules Die are notching quite a name for
themselves on the UK hardcore circuit and it's easy to see why.
Considering its debut status, 'Nostalgia For Beginners' is a sophisticated
effort capturing the angst, urgency and hard-to-crack quality
that typifies the genre. There's the driving riffery and gang-style
chorus of 'On The Corner Of Fountain And Union' and the chuggarama
of 'Still Waiting For The End', Nostalgia? No, but a great beginning.
Ronnie Kerswell 7/10
Reason
To Believe #9
Modernity-meets-mosh makes massive righteous raw riffage and tickling
tempo treats, with hardup heated heartfelt vexed vocalities, ploughing
power and prestine packaging. (LH)
Riot
77 (Ireland)
Kickin hardcore from the UK bringing to mind Avail
and Strike Anywhere. Driving and hard'n'heavy enough not to be
classed as emo, but smart enough not to get lumped in with any
of that metal crossover toss. being released on Nottingham based
indie label In At The Deep End, Steel Rules Die are more developed
than one might expect considering their press release informs
us the band live in three different parts of England. With a running
time of just under twenty-two minutes, "Nostalgia For Beginners"
leaves the building before things get monotonous and leaves us
wanting more. Top moments are "Signs Of Cloudy Days"
and "Sticks And Stones Will Break My Heart".
Slug
& Lettuce (USA)
This
UK band plays a melodic style of hardcore that is bittersweet
and driving at the same time. A bit more melodic than my daily
tastes crave, but delivered with solid catchy hooks. The vocals
are gruff by comparison to the guitar melodies, but the guitars
have plenty of stop start crunch as well. While I can't compare
them directly to anyone, they would sit nicely along by Hot Water
Music, Lifetime, As Friends Rust and even Strike Anywhere. The
kind of band that could easily grow on me and that I can recognize
the appeak they have to many. Good solid catchy melodic hardcore.
(Chris)
Mass
Movement
This is pretty excellent. Utilising the space between Avail, Manifesto Jukebox
and Hot Water Music to devastating effect, Steel Rules Die have crafted an album
of powerful, top-drawer shoutalong hardcore that stands up against anything produced
by their more famous American counterparts. When I hear bands like these and Academy
Morticians it reminds me that this country is still producing punk and hardcore
bands to equal the best and most original in the world. Chock full of first class
riffs and a great instinct for building momentum, "Nostalgia For Beginners"
is a tour de force which gets better with every listen. If you're into great emotional
hardcore it should be on your shopping list. (KT) Suspect
Devices #40
I've
heard a lot about this band, but never actually heard them before, so I was excited
at the prospect of listening to this. I'm not a big fan of press releases but
the info sheet I got from this did have the desired effect I guess as it increased
my desire to play this as soon as I could. So often when I'm looking forward to
hearing something I end up disappointed, but these eight tracks are pretty solid
from start to finish. Dynamic, melodic hardcore with driving guitars and harsh,
but somehow cool vocals, there's a big dose of Hot Water Music to their sound,
but there's also a bit of In My Eyes and even 'Mush' era Leatherface. They're
a British band, but I hope that doesn't count against them and I hope people can
take off their US blinkers and give these guys a chance, because on this evidence
there's not many bands anywhere doing thos sort of thing better. (TIM) Artcore
#19
I'd
been waiting for this, This is the melodic half of Silencer Seven and Anthem Of
The Century and continuing very much where anthemic Silencer Seven left off. Steel
Rules Die play melodic and anthemic hardcore that sounds like a three-way split
between Avail, Fuel and Hot Water Music. There's a roaring passion and a clenched-fist
sincerity, hints of Dag Nasty in the guitar chug, the personal lyrics are introspective
but not wet, and the sharpe graphics are of the slick, modern hardcore look. This
is altogether a well rounded and complete set of eight songs that promises even
better when they further develop their sound and release a full-length album.
5 out of 5 Water
Into Beer #5
This
is pretty cool. Its meldoic hardcore like an English Avail. Well that's totally
over simplified but if it helps set a scene, then, there you go. Some brilliant
melodic hardcore that'll have you bopping around a bit. I know after listening
to this I've gotta see em live. I bet they're hundred times more powerful on stage
and that these songs sound absolutely brilliant. they've got the obligatory 'emo'
song titles as well such as 'You Can Read All The Books You Want' and 'Breaking
Windows, Breaking Eachother'. The best song on here is 'Still Waiting For the
End' which'll have you singing along, stamping your feet and have you smiling
from ear to ear. definitely worth your attention. (Tim) Big
Cheese
(June 2003)
The
chunky riffery of opener 'Signs Of Cloudy Days' herald the arrival of Steel Rules
Die, and as arrivals go it couldn't go much better. A mix of Screeching Weasel,
Jawbreaker and Dag Nasty, 'Nostalgia For Beginners' is a blend of melodic and
muscular punk rock with flecks of DC-style hardcore. Driving and passionate, Steel
Rules Die slam through eight tracks of raucious punk rock, including the Grade
meets hot Water Music sing along of 'Still Waiting For The End' and the moody
'If Everything Were Grey'. Singer Ricky is in possession of a fine pair of lungs
as evident on 'The World Never Ended', while the rest of the band pull off the
stop-start dynamics and tempos without breaking sweat. These guys put their hearts
into it and it shows. 4/5 Jim Sharples Terrorizer
(April 2003)
There's
no doubt SRD are the UK's answer to Avail. Same vocal style, same crunchy guitar
sound, same melodic hardcore that we can't get enough of. Featuring Ricky &
David formerly from Anthem Of The Century, SRD have made a name for themselves
supporting the likes of Agnostic Front, As Friends Rust and Grade. This eight
track mini album proves that the Brits can do hardcore just as good as the Yanks
and any fan of Avail won't be disappointed. 7/10 (CW) Streetmusic
FC (Sweden)
If
the brits have one achilles-heel, it´s usually to play good hardcore. But
no rule without exception, and here´s a good one. It´s hard to describe
SRD´s melodic brickwall-HC, maybe comparing them to Good Riddance is a good
hint. Their debutalbum impresses me with great songs a lots of maturity. It´s
well played and has a good balance between the hard and melodic. Dammit, sometimes
SDR sounds more transatlantic than the yankees themselves! If you think the Fat
Wreck-rooster has lost it the recent years, maybe this one can cheer you up. 4/5
(PK) Pennyblackmusic
The growing hardcore scene in the UK has allowed a newer breed of well-fashioned
bands to make their entrance in style: Steel Rules Die are one of these, the entrance
granduesque, the pedigree plain to see. Nostalgia for Beginners, the 8-track debut
for Steel Rules Die, is hardcore yet melodic, it is aggressive and follows in
the same vein as Hot Water Music but retains more of a punk element, making it
that little bit feistier. With metal-type riffs, underlying sounds of raw energy
and the pace of a sprinter, Nostalgia for Beginners is not only well written,
but it has been beautifully produced also. The entire release has been given serious
attention, from the tight interlinking of the music to the remarkable artwork
that is nothing short of perfect. The
four-piece, vocalist Ricky and guitarist David (both ex Anthem of the Century),
bassist Stu (ex Nerves) and drummer Andy (ex 67th Morning), have a high standard
behind them. Drawing inspiration from emotions of love, sense of being and bypassing
regret, Steel Rules Die have formed the perfect combination of lyrically sound
and emotionally charged music. With tracks such as You Can Read All The Books
You Want, which pictures the world as a race to conquer rather than understand,
and Signs of Cloudy Days, which proves that after confusions of love people still
do care, Nostalgia for Beginners develops its own identity amongst a market dedicated
to politics, persona and facades. Steel
Rules Die are the ones to watch in the hardcore scene. The music sounds fresher
than what is currently being produced in the United States and will certainly
help the UK scene grow yet further till it may be respected once more. With independent
label In At The Deep End Records supporting Steel Rules Die, their total domination
of this market can be seen on the horizon: it is not short in coming. Rancid
News
This is really
fun melodic hardcore, with some seriously infectious riffs, and the odd nod here
and there to the world of pop punk. This is well woth checking out. In At The
Deep End score yet again!! 4/5 Punktastic
Wow. That's all I can say about Steel Rules Die. On the basis of 'Nostalgia
For Beginners' this is one very, very special band and a very good EP. I think
for the unintiated a quick comparison to Hot Water Music or Avail would be the
lazy reviewer's way out, so I'll opt for that. It's melodic hardcore at its finest
- throaty vocals ahoy with some harsh guitar riffs thrown about all over the shop
for good measure. In At The Deep End have come up with a corker here because it's
essential listening. Opener
'Signs Of Cloudy Days' kicks things off in absolutely awesome style, riffs crunching,
cymbals crashing and an almighty vocal roar coming out of a bass-led 40 second
introduction. Lyrically it tells the story of a destroyed relationship where one
party has moved on while the other is left behind - except it comes over with
more balls than you'd find during Wimbledon tennis fortnight. The multi-dimensional
scream of 'don't take it back' is like a clubbing over the back of the head and
it sounds awesome. The riff that starts off 'The World Never Ended' sounds like
The Distillers, but the vocal roar is again very similar to that of Hot Water
Music, a more than worthy comparison in my opinion. 'You Can Read All The Books
You Want' has the kind of breakdowns that fellow Leicester band My Awesome Compilation
have become famed for, except Steel Rules Die do it harder and faster, without
losing any of that melodic appeal. And not ones to overstep the mark either, some
of these songs weigh in at less than two minutes. 'On The Corner Of Fountain and
Union' batters and bruises its way through, with the gang-style vocals of "it
is not too late" really adding an extra something, while 'Still Waiting For
The End' has a guitar intro that reminds me of London pop-punkers Fletcher before
the gruff vocals kick in. The drumming is exquisite, the basslines hard hitting
and the overal quality is top notch. 'Sticks And Stones Will Break My Heart' initially
slows the pace down, but only for a few seconds before a battering ram of a drum
beat kicks in and the guitars are rammed down your throat. If you're in the mood
to get rid of some pent-up aggression, then this is the band for you. 'If Everything
Were Grey' keeps the quality up, even if it would seem impossible to maintain
such a high standard, while the EP closer, 'Breaking Windows, Breaking Each Other'
is a fantastic brooding, dare I say it, emotional track that tugs away at the
heart without losing the kick and bite the band show in the seven previous songs.
It's a quality end to a quality record. In
At The Deep End have struck gold here and this 8-track EP is well worthy of any
spare pennies you may have. Brutal, honest, raw and melodic all in one go, it
kicks and screams its way through 21-minutes of some pure brilliant punk rock
and misses out of four-and-a-half-stars by the smallest of amounts. Spite, energy
and songs with meaning prove that Steel Rules Die are one of the UK's brightest
hopes. Superpunk
(Canada)
In At The Deep End Records offers up another
solid EP from Steelrulesdie (who I'm assuming are UK band). This 8 song EP (about
22 minutes) is a fantastic introduction to Steelrulesdie due to the quality layout
and production, and solid rockin' tunes. These guys remind me alot vocally of
Hot Water Music while their music has some similarities to older HWM music material
with the heavy, thickly distorted guitars. However, Steelrulesdie speed things
up a bit and rely on the band's energy to propel their tunes more so than HWM,
but occasioanlly do end up drifting off into generic speedy punk but luckily it
doesn't happen too often. When this band simply rocks out they sound like a great
blend of Hot Water Music and Strike Anywhere, which I'm sure could go over well
with the masses. I expect great things from these guys in the future.
- Glenn
Innes Playdead
If
you like Strike Anywhere, if you like Hot Water Music, if you like hardcore of
the melodic variety, then you should by rights like Steel Rules Die, the British
alternative take on things. Now that's not to say they are mere rip off merchants
of a genre that's been ripped off far too much already, because with this release
(which also has some fancy packaging done by the singer from Sworn In) SRD set
about rising above 'crap British copycat' status. The opener 'Signs Of Cloudy
Days' is a pretty good example of their undeniable talent for bashing out a tune,
but track two 'The World Never Ended' is an even better one. In fact every song
on this 8 track mini album has the perfect anthemic fist clenching formula down
to a tee combining passionate vocals, infectious riffs and perfect breakdowns,
and doing so about ten times during each song making sure there's always enough
to keep you interested and excited about what you're hearing. By the time track
five springs from the stereo with it's Green Dayesque intro (Yes that's a good
thing..well I think so), it's confirmed that although SRD probably aren't quite
as good as the likes of Strike Anywhere and HWM just yet, they're definitely not
far behind, and that's about the biggest compliment I can pay to what is a release
of siesmic proportions. (MB) Caught
In The Crossfire
(Skate/Punk Magazine)
Well, we all get homesickness know and again, but I feel right at home with this
CD from the opening track. This 4 piece Leicester/Northampton outfit put the crunch
back into the scene, that crunch that was stolen a few years ago and only part
replaced by certain bands out there. Melodic, memorable punk rock songs in the
vein of Hot Water Music, Avail and Jawbreaker, but reminiscent of a Revolution
Record release. Good stuff on In At The Deep End and well worth having in your
collection. Hopefully they will play The Crossfire Skate Jam in Leicester on the
side of the bowl at The Edge/Charlotte on March 22nd. Check em out. - Zac Screaming
Bloody Mess
This stuff is great.
Powerful and crunchy hardcore with a big melodic kick. Only thing theyre not from
Chicago or Florida but the UK. Huge riffs and throaty vocals ala Hot Water and
Avail, only their football team is probably Arsenal or Dulwich County rather than
the Miami Dolphins or Washington Redskins. Apparently their named after a Nottingham
steel factory. I believe them. This is one of the better punk rock records Ive
heard in months so go steal your mum or housemates credit card and order this
off their site. Or write to them pretending you do a crappy zine and hope theyll
send you a promo. Whatever, just get it, youll be pleased, trust me. Decavity
There’s a reason that these guys are band of the month, they rock, pure and
simple, they play loud Hot Water Music/Small Brown Bike style melodic hardcore,
and they play it well. Featuring former members of Anthem Of The Century there
isn’t a bad song on this mini-album, this release also goes to show how much
Mark from In At The Deep End knows his bands, I’ve been listening to this
consistently for the last two weeks or so and I’ve still not gotten tired
of it. Also i've just seen the artwork that’s been done courtesy of the UK’s
answer to Jacob Bannon, Delaney Jae, as always this is excellent artwork just
like the one he did for Sworn In - Stuart (Reviewed from advanced
CDR, Decavity gave SRD band of the month in December 2002, after seeing them on
the IATDE alldayer) Playdead
Another
impressive new In At The Deep End Records release comes in the shape of the eight
song mini album by Steel Rules Die, titled 'Nostalgia For Beginners'. This new
Uk outfit play a forceful brand of hook-laden hardcore and have played with the
likes of Grade, Agnostic Front & As Friends Rust. Feedback
#73
Melodic punk hardcore anyone? This is
an album full of passion and energy, as well as crunching riffs and vocals that
totally fit the mood. It may only last about twenty minutes, but these eight songs
are from the heart and Agnostic Front must have had trouble keeping above these
guys when they played together. The longest song is the closer, "Breaking
Windows, Breaking Eachother", and the whole album shows bands like The Offspring
that British acts deserve to be taken seriously. But it isn't all riffs, although
there are plenty of these, but there are also sections where just one guitar is
playing or the whole mood shifts upwards, which means that when the crunching
comes back it feels more intense than ever. Witness "Signs Of Cloudy Days"
which at less than three minutes still shows how using tricks like this can make
songs much heavier and dramatic. If you like your rock intense yet still melodic
with a hardcore attitude then this is it. We'll
Make The Difference (Holland)
I had never heard of this band and of this label before.. So I was curious about
what this would sound like. To my surprise this was melodic hardcore punk reminding
me of bands like Reach The Sky, Dag Nasty, Lifetime and some Boy Sets Fire. Why
is that surprising? Because you don't hear this style that often anymore. Steel
Rules Die definitely hold their ground on "Nostalgia For Beginners".
They cannot meet with the aforementioned bands yet, but they are definitely onto
the right path. This is only their first release and it's a killer start so for
anyone that's into melodic hardcore punk go listen to this band. You'll like it..!
(IZ) Gagged
& Blindfolded
Heh heh, I think somebody's just found their new
favourite punk/hardcore label! I heard about In At The DeepEnd recs when I bought
the SEND MORE PARAMEDICS album and to my surprise not so long after I randomly
get sent this in the post! So anyway,.. I whack this on the stereo and end up
being completely absorbed for the next 20 minutes. Including ex ANTHEM OF THE
CENTURY members I immediately liked this cos they were SILENCER 7 right? - who
released the 'Directions on a compass' alb (which fucking rules). Anyway, this
is not as hardcore as the above bands but sure as hell is as good. Being slightly
more of a chorus strong band -(illustrated by my fav track "The world never
ended") I preferred this. I would describe this as British sounding anthemic
and melodic,.. sort of ANNALISE(ish) but with a whole heap o' more passion and
'core' about them. I like it. Keep an eye out for these guys. -TD I
Will Be Heard
Nostalgia For Beginners,
released on the much acclaimed In At The Deep End Records is the debut release
for Steel Rules Die and comes in the form of an eight track mini-album. The band
who are based out of the East Midlands, came together as a combination of experiences
from the ashes of several respected hardcore\punk outfits. They have been muted
as the UK’s answer to Avail, with a sound that is in essence straightforward
and uncomplicated hardcore-tinged punk rock. It’s a modern style of punk
(more Green Day than Black Flag), that bouncy, catchy, chuggy sounding melodic
punk of today, but it definitely has at it’s heart a fine hardcore attitude
and subject matter. Featuring very coarse Clash style vocals without the slightest
morsel of melody or actual singing ability, it’s pure dry and strained shouting.
In an enlightening juxtaposition this is balanced with melodic and hook-filled
guitars, a blueprint that seems to be used to maximum effect throughout every
song. An
energetic and enthusiastic run over a familiar hardcore/punk playing field, but
with a raw and honest approach they carry it off with flying colours and would
more than satisfy most fans of the scene. Assembly
Line
Brand new 8 track CD from these amazing
British hardcore punk kids who are ex-Anthem of The Century! Seriously, this is
good stuff, and the whole thing is sweetly packaged by Sworn In design dude Delaney
Jae. Get hip to the chase before you've missed the boat! - MD Punknews
When
Steel Rules die come up in conversation, Avail tend to pop up as well. No shit
Sherlock; the band named after a Nottingham steel factory have a great deal in
common with the Virginian hardcore merchants; similar crunchy verses and shout-with-me
choruses, same vocal delivery and guitar sound. Painting SRD as two-bit rip off
merchants is well off the mark though; their mix of growly confessionals and heavyweight
pop-punk pounding is developing into a powerful sound of their own. This eight
tracker is filled with strong, anthemic choruses supplanted by freight train riffage
reminiscent of Lookout! era Avail (there's no buggering about with fiddles, thats
for sure!) or HWM's throatier moments. Perhaps the finest track of all is closer
'Breaking Windows', its simple riff which grows into an avalanche of dischordant
noise a real highlight. The production is earthy enough to convey some character
but still sounds professional. A couple of changes in pace wouldn't go amiss,
and the EP does initially seem a little samey. Lets not mess about though; with
this record Steel Rules Die have cemented their place at the forefront of the
UK scene. Exciting. Kerrang
KKK
The success
of bands like Hundred Reasons last year gave real hope that the post hardcore
movement might flourish into something relevant, contemporary and British. As
usual though the party was spoiled by any number of bandwagoneers who equipped
with a creative black-hole, started knocking the scene apart. Happily Steel Rules
Die is not among the bunch. Unhappily, though, this 20 minute long debut is unlikely
to change much. While it's an entirely competent stab - all the vital components
of passion, power and punch are there - it's lacking a cutting edge, the killer
melody and belligerent riff. But songs like the driving 'Still Waiting For The
End' and forceful opener, 'Signs Of cloudy Days', show sufficient promise to suggest
they are capable
of more. Tom Bryant Beggars
Real great anthemic hardcore from the UK featuring ex Anthem Of The Century chaps.
Melodic and passionate with fist-in-the-air sing-a-longs and coherent emotive
lyrics. Think Avail Vs Lifetime |
£3
€5
$6
£5