Books Lie - It A Weapon - LP (2000)

Labels: Bushwick
Review by: Andy Malcolm

I have this strange idea that this band is ex-Saetia, but I can’t confirm that anywhere. Grrr. Anyway! Who cares!!! This record is great! Books Lie (wonderful name that) have fired out 10 tracks of loud and energetic hardcore. It falls somewhere in between the likes of Born Against, Torches to Rome and Assfactor 4 (hey, I just saw your eyes light up!) and is almost as good as that mere comparison would suggest. In other words, all the tracks are chock full of blistering guitar, in your face drumming, and rough, shouted vocals. And to really spice things up they throw some tune-age into the mix. “œWilliamsburg Burning” is an absolute rocker, belting a long a la A4, yet unafraid to throw some old-school hardcore influences into the mix by slowing things down to mid-pace and getting the guitars to chug a bit. And just to show off their melodic ability, “œAdobe” has a super catchy chorus.

Can’t let this record pass without mention of the best song title in ages: “œCapitalism Is Some Kind of Crazy Ass Vampire” (close competition with “œYour Simpsons Backlash Is A Fucking Joke”), nor the intro to the blaster “œPessimissy” (“œWelcome to the world, where we don’t bathe and we don’t shave and we never get laid”).

Overall, things don’t stray too far down the road to chaos, but they are doing enough to make hardcore sound like an exciting style of music. Which is an all too rare achievement. SO”¦ get the vinyl. Comes with a magnet and a patch. Rock.