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8 out of 10
I used to love Earth Crisis. Fact. From the age of 16 onwards they were so heavy and primal. Despite being a scummy, skinny lad from the North West of England who drank and smoked, and EC being a hard-line, vegan SXE band. I still enjoyed them. Even owned a few t-shirts which got me funny looks at gigs, I can tell you that now.
So I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dutch label I Scream are re-releasing the last "proper" Earth Crisis album before their untimely demise. Now I say last "proper" album because they did release "Slither" as their last album. But the bouncy, nu-metal flavoured sound of that left a bad taste in many fans mouths. It wasn’t bad as such. Just seemed to obvious a play for more mainstream attention. Whether it was or wasn’t doesn’t matter. Funnily enough. "Breed..." was their first and last album for Roadrunner after their move from long-time home Victory Records. And then promptly moved back to Victory for "Slither" which sounded more like it belonged on Roadrunner than the label that was responsible for so much good hardcore back in the 90’s.
Anyhow. This is EC at their best. Distilling all their strengths and skill into 12 prime slices of polemic-drenched, neanderthalic metalcore that smashes and chugs between jagged melody and face pummelling breakdowns. As always Karl Buechner’s hoarse bellow provides the drama and this album saw them tackle usual topics as SXE, Pollution and Animal Rights alongside tracks about child labour, slavery and street crime.
This is most probably the most cohesive EC album. Not taking anything away from "Firestorm" or "Gomorrah Season Ends" but "Breed..." holds your attention right the way through. Even an appearance by Machine Head’s Robb Flynn can’t sully the mood.
The remastering really isn’t anything to ambitious; the original production courtesy of Andy Sneap was all well and good. And the addition of 2 live bonus tracks is nice, but doesn’t really add anything else to the album as a whole.
But what a cracking album it is. And one that I think more kids who claim to be "hardcore" need to listen to, explore your roots kids.
Listen: www.myspace.com/earthcrisis
Tracklist:
1. End Begins
2. Filthy hands To Famished Mouths
3. Breed The Killers
4. Wither
5. Ultramilitance
6. Into The Fray
7. One Against All
8. Drug Related Homicide
9. Overseers
10. Death Rate Solution
11. Unvanquished
12. Ecocide
13. No Allegiance
14. Standing Corpses
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