Artist: Do or Die
Title: Pray for Them
Type: Album
Label: Alveran Records
I remember writing about Die Young, who are on the same label as Do or Die, and relating the effect their aggressive brand of hardcore had on my driving. Well, this is the same. It is movement personified. “Pray for Them” was presented to me as tough guy hardcore and that’s what it is. From the outset, I had the clear vision of a shaven-headed guy with tattoos roaring hatred at me. The remarkable thing is that in the midst of all this, there’s a steady twirling guitar riff going on, very much in the manner of The Haunted. The guitar work is sharp and lively but almost classically metal, very hooky indeed, while the violent assault comes from the drumming department, indeed the machine gun department. We’ve reached the sixth track “My Four Walls” before the pace steps up, and even then the riff remains as catchy as hell. The repetitious intensity is that of Runemagick. The album gets off to a rip-roaring start with “Proved Wrong”. The rhythm is hypnotic, it’s aggressive and you just want to move along to it. The second track “Guardian Angel” seems to have the same riff, but it’s better. In fact it was my favourite track on the album. Along with the infectiously driving beat, the combination of the vocals and instrumental makes the track both interesting and non-stop. “The bullets on the rosary, the gun on the holy bible” rants the vocalist evocatively. And so it goes on. “Six Feet Under” and “B.F” were more what I was expecting, with the band members chiming in for a bit of extra toughness but still in the framework of that incredibly addictive and insistent riff which runs through the whole of this album.
Do or Die, who sound American, but are Belgian, have been around since 1999, but haven’t been very prolific in releasing albums, having only one full work to their name, and that dates back to 2001. Where they have been productive is in playing live at hardcore festivals and gigs, and I would imagine they would be electric. The movement in it guarantees great exercise and a stiff neck. If you want to get some crap out of your system and immerse yourself in some real controlled aggression, put down your energy drink and listen to “Pray for Them”.
http://www.myspace.com/officialdoordie
http://www.alveranrecords.com
Andrew Doherty
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