Bloodlined Calligraphy

Item: The Beginning of the End
Author: Ben Bishop

The Beginning of the End

(2004)

Reviewed by Ben Bishop

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Label Strike First RecordsDecapolisSeptember 2004

hardcore hardcore punk metalcore

There are automated car washes that take longer to play out than this new disc from Ypsilanti, Michigan's hardcore darlings. You could feasibly put The Beginning of the End in your cd player, step out for a glass of milk, get into a conversation over whether John Kerry really deserves his purple hearts with your mom at the fridge and come back to a silent room, the CD having already ended. Perhaps this makes it that much more impressive that Bloodlined Calligraphy are able to pack so much into an EP that wouldn't outlast an Amish dinner prayer.

The production value leaves a bit to be desired. The drums are not as thick or crisp as they might have been. Still, the overall mix is good. Ally French's vocals hit like a load of industrial piping dropping into the back of a Ford truck in one of those "like a rock" commercials. Ms. French is beyond the shadow of a doubt the absolute reigning queen of hardcore, at least as far as vocals are concerned. For years Walls of Jericho's Candace Kucsulain laid claim to that title, but has now relinquished the throne. French's pipes can hang with any man's and in fact outdo plenty of the supposed tough guys out there.

There is nothing incredibly innovative here in terms of song arrangement. Dueling riffery, blast beats, and good old floor-clearing breakdowns abound. Still, French and company have that special something. Call it knowing where they came from, sticking to what they do best, "less is more", or whatever you want; Bloodlined Calligraphy make good, straightforward hardcore. "Isaac is the Champ", with its cascading drum roll intro calls to mind the beginning to Falling Cycle's "Rose Adore". The inclusion of additional notes included in the liner next to each song explaining the meaning lend an honesty to the album and allow first time listeners and old fans alike to connect with the message of the music.

3/4