Review #134: Agnostic Front - United Blood (EP) (1983)

UNITED BLOOD (EP)

Year: 1983

Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Hardcore
Label: Last Warning Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 6 Minutes
Style: Angry/Political
My Rating: 5/8

Agnostic Front is one of the most famous New York hardcore punk bands and the group was formed by a bunch of skinheads in 1981. "United Blood" was the first release the band ever came out with, and for a long time, it was extremely rare. Roger Miret's voice sounds very different, and not as raspy as on "Victim in Pain" as much as just some chanting and yelling type vocals, here. This EP is pretty short, so let's listen, shall we?

1. No One Rules
This song goes off on the upper class telling them that they have "no right and no balls" to tell them what to do. Very fast. The chorus contains a little bit of lead guitar.

2. Final War
Even faster! This song declares "the Final War" as being citizens against the [American] government.

3. Last Warning
One of the best Agnostic Front songs ever. Great guitar riff in both parts. The verse is slow, and the chorus is extremely fast. In the chorus, the riff is very raging and frantic. This song would later be re-recorded for "Victim in Pain". That version's even better than this one.

4. Traitor
This song is about a backstabber who pretends he's your friend and then becomes your enemy when you're not around.

5. Friend Or Foe
Wow, a song over a minute long! Pretty much elaborates on the same theme as the song before it. I like the intro. End of Side 1.

6. United Blood
Another slow song. The verse is, at least. The chorus goes into the very fast mode. Similar to "Last Warning" in that way. The verse section starts out with only bass until the other instruments cut in. It's got a very dark tone to it.

7. Fight
Shortest song on the EP. Very fast, also (but you probably already knew that). It's about people rioting, fighting, stabbing, and killing eachother. Yep.

8. Discriminate Me
A song that manages to be fast without being too fast. The first section is fast. The mid-section is slow, and has a really good riff. The guitar really brings out the crunch in that part. In the last section it repeats one segment of the first part. This song points out the hypocrisy in people who call the song's protagonist a "bum", when they're the ones denying him any opportunities to get anywhere in life.

9. In Control
Another one of my favorites on this album. The chorus section just has a nice roll to it. I think it's the drums or something. It kinda holds back the pent up energy which is released in the verse parts. Anyways, I like this one.

10. Crucial Changes
By this point, there's not too much I can say about this track that I haven't already said for other songs... it's a problem I run into a lot when reviewing generic-sounding hardcore records. At the end, Roger makes a "bleeaagh" sound. Hehe!

The best song on the 7", "Last Warning", made it onto the band's first LP, and deservingly so. For some reason, this EP has always been kinda scarce. Therefore, it has been re-released many different times. First, the original pressing in 1983. Then it was re-released in 1989 (with new cover art) to raise money for Roger Miret (who was in court because of drug charges). Then the band included the EP at the end of the live album "Last Warning" in 1993. Then recently, the band re-released the EP in its original form around 2009 or so (and also included it at the end of the CD re-issue of "Victim in Pain"). So now, hopefully you can get your hands on the 7" version. I dunno. It's probably still rare. I grabbed the only CD of "Victim in Pain" the moment I saw it in the store. And it has this EP at the end for a bonus. So yeah, it's not extremely great, but it's good enough, so check it out if you're interested. Seeya later!

Top 3 Favorites:
1. Last Warning
2. In Control
3. Discriminate Me

Review #106: Agnostic Front - Victim in Pain (1984)

VICTIM IN PAIN

Year: 1984

Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Hardcore
Label: Rat Cage Records
Tracks: 11
Length: 15 Minutes (Short)
Style: Angry/Political
My Rating: 6/8

Agnostic Front formed in the streets of New York City in 1980. As one of the early members of the New York hardcore scene, the band consisted of a group of skinheads; Vinnie Stigma, Diego, and Rob Krekus. Later on, they were able to find a proper vocalist for their band in Roger Miret. In 1983, the band released its first EP, called "United Blood". This was their second release and their first LP, and it's the most demonstrative of their original hardcore sound. Later on, the band would begin to play thrash metal, and then they changed their sound yet again to street punk by the late '90s when they reformed. While New York was the birthplace of punk, they received hardcore a bit later than California or Washington DC. While the Californians went off about Reagan and partied, and the D.C. punks sang about social and political problems, New York hardcore was based around the troubles of street life and poverty. These sort of situations plagued the members of Agnostic Front, so much of the lyrics to this album are about that.

1. Victim in Pain
Starts with a single stroke of a chord and beat of a drum, like a punch in the face to ignite a fight. The verses are fast, and the chorus is slow. The drumming is real furious! Roger starts asking why he's going insane. But nobody ever tells him. Maybe he should go ask someone else. Less than a minute long.

2. Remind Them
A song about the oppression of the working class. The song's lyrics are about the need to "remind them" (the ruling class) that the capitalist system does not fulfill the needs of the poor. The vocals here are pretty cool, they sort of go upwards one moment and then descend downwards the next. The song iz fast. For some reason I love the line "remind them they taught us to lie."

3. Blind Justice
This one's about the injustice of the legal system to the poor. The song's very fast in the first half, and then slow in the second half. The riff is really awesome in the second half. "We need justice for ALL OF US", proclaims Roger. One of my favorite songs on the album.

4. Last Warning
Another great one. The verse is slow, and the vocals are so fucking intense. The chorus is fast as fuck, in a great way. The riff is just classic, here. It manages to be very angry and intense while catchy in a strange way as well.

5. United and Strong
Starts out as fast as the chorus section of "Last Warning". Y'know, those really fast beats. The second half is slower. "NO! NO HOPE!" is triumphantly shouted, as the chords ascend. Roger starts going on about there being unity for blacks and whites, punks and skin[head]s, etc.

6. Power
It's about fighting the "Power", which is described as "an anti-social fascist regime". Roger yells "STIGMA!", and on command, he whips out a pretty good solo. End of Side 1, childrenz.

7. Hiding Inside
First half is fast, second half is slow. The song calls for people to be themselves instead of conforming to an idealized image.

8. Fascist Attitudes
Awesome verse riff! This song criticizes "Fascist Attitudes" in the punk scene itself, in which people criticize eachother for simply looking or acting different than themselves. Still very relevant. "Remember we're a minority, and every one of us counts".

9. Society Sucker
This song is really fucking fast, like "Last Warning" and "United and Strong". The chorus is slow with a truly awesome riff. It criticizes the many "Society Suckers" of the world, who want to live like the rich and go out and be a big-shot like everyone else does even though they have nothing, risking the money they have left to try to climb the social ladder.

10. Your Mistake
There's not a ton I can say about this song that I've already said... fast/slow/fast, it's about getting pissed off at mainstream society. This song was later re-recorded for their 1986 album, "Cause for Alarm".

11. With Time
The longest and slowest song (over two minutes long). The bassline is very ominous and cool. Roger's voice is very echo-y, here. "Feel confused, lonely at the moment" -- sums up the general vibe of this song. It's like feeling lost, in an echo-y, dark, lonely dungeon of nothingness.

Like many hardcore bands of the early '80s, Agnostic Front eventually moved on to heavy metal. Not to say that the stuff after this was totally non-punk, but this and "United Blood" are their only records with a pure, raw hardcore sound. Agnostic Front released many more albums in the mid '80s until the early '90s... they broke up in 1993. They re-formed in 1997, with new street punk sound, which, unfortunately, is strongly inferior to their earlier work and resembles half the stuff that Epitaph Records has been putting out for the last ten years. This, however, feels very powerful and full of youthful rage. It's a good record. So, stay legit and listen to good music! Seeya!

Top 3 Favorites:
1. Last Warning
2. Society Sucker
3. Blind Justice