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    The Phantom Tollbooth 1998/Overcome
    Overcome — The Life of Death cover

    Overcome

    The Life of Death

    (1998)

    Reviewed by Joe Rockstroh

    DiscogsYouTube
    Label Facedown RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth1998
    hardcorehardcore punklo-fimetalcore

    This spirit-filled hardcore band certainly has a couple of things going for them: competent vocals, well-played music, good production, and Christ-centered lyrics. The lyrics from "Thorns Compose" are really part of the hymn "When I Survey", but they provide a good summation of the band's worldview:

    when I survey
    the wondrous cross
    on which the prince of glory died
    my richest gain
    I count but loss
    and pour contempt on all my pride
    forbid it Lord
    that I should boast/save in the death of Christ

    What Overcome has against them is that there is nothing to distinguish them from other hardcore bands. If you've heard any other relatively recent Christian hardcore band, then you've heard Overcome. Still, the occasionally interesting guitar riff or vocal shout shows hints of promise. While not a bad release, this band has a lot of work to do if they're going to distinguish themselves from other hardcore bands.

    2.5 tocks

    Other coverage for this album

    Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by Tony "Keepin it Real" MitchellHey, hey there kiddies! I know I don't do a lot of reviews - mainly cause I'm not a very professional writer - but I just got the new Overcome EP - "The Life Of Death" on Facedown Records. And let me tell you, it is 5 songs of the best hardcore I've heard in a long time! I mean it's intense, it's hard, it's full of the Spirit, it's OVERCOME to the fullest degree! Now, you will notice a little…HM Magazine #73Reviewed by Doug Van PeltOkay, these guys lay down some mean hardcore. Even when the instruments step slightly out of time with each other, vocalist Jason Stinson holds it together with convincing screams. While production lacks some thickness at times, the songwriting and cool riffs make up for it. If you dig hardcore punk, you'll be into this. If you dug When Beauty Dies, then by all means, you'll want these five songs.The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Glenn HarperOvercome was signed to Tooth & Nail in the early summer of 1995, and promptly overlooked by the label. Sporting an excellent live show, their two albums on Tooth & Nail (Blessed are the Persecuted and When Beauty Dies) boast quite a few very promising songs with relatively unique new school hardcore stylings. Both albums are undone, however, by absolutely atrocious production; if Tooth & Nail had…Dead Zine 1998Reviewed by thOrNI saw NIV a month or so ago and word was that Overcome's new disc was coming out on Jason Dunn's (drummer of NIV) label (Facedown Records). Then NIV came back a few weeks later, and to my astonishment there was the new Overcome. I spent my dinner money to get it and boy am I happy. Where'd they go you ask? Well they disbanded and then Jason Stinson got all new back up and went at it again. A…

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