The new Solid State sampler is rather dull. It seems that the good ol' boys at Tooth and Nail have become lazy in their work. How they expect to pass this off as a worthwhile compilation is beyond me. There are a total of three new tracks, along with thirteen other stale songs. Needless to say, I was disappointed when I read the track list. Seeing as how quite a few of the Solid State bands are slated for releases sometime this year, it would be nice to have more of a preview of things to come. I've heard a couple tracks off the new Zao album (Liberate Te Ex Inferis) and can't figure out why they didn't include one on the comp; people would have eaten that up. Same with Training for Utopia. Their new album is supposedly the heaviest CD of '99, and yet we're stuck with Plastic Soul Impalement material. This entire compilation seems to be a half-hacked job, radiating the best of the bland and worn of the Solid State roster.
There are pluses to be had, though. One of the new tracks, "Halo of Winter" by Embodyment, rips it up in a big way. The band shows definite progression in their music, with Kris doing several vocal styles, from guttural to shrill. You have to hear this song to understand. The guitar work is awesome, and the drumming tight as ever. "Halo of Winter" showcases a more stylized approach; the band actually uses several breakdowns throughout the song, making for good moshing. The mix is perfect, with all the instruments standing out clearly against each other, while still leaving room for Kris' vocals to scream out of your speakers. Embodyment, as long as they follow the path that they're traveling, will prove to be one of the heaviest bands in a long time.
Warlord has a new song on the comp as well, verging on catchy. The vocals never quite hit the hardcore scream; instead they're run through a distortion box. The song sounds like a clean version of Training for Utopia, with the guitars clear enough to make out while still holding onto a chaotic feel. It makes me anxious to hear their new full length; they definitely have something new going on, a decisive shift from the current hardcore trend toward metal. And with an album title of Rock the Foe Hammer, who isn't curious about it?
Living Sacrifice provides a new track as well, further establishing themselves as a metal powerhouse. "Enthroned 98" is another brutal song for Living Sacrifice to pulverize the masses with, hearkening back to their early days when everything was really fast. It was a breath of fresh air to hear something new from them, too, seeing as how Reborn is over two years old. The mix is improved over Reborn; the bass actually contains low-end, and the guitars are better separated.
The very unimpressive and cliché "Outside Looking In" by Stretch Arm Strong takes up a track space. This song is just filler, not even remotely hardcore. It sounds like a run-of-the-mill punk song, maybe a little edgier than most, but it doesn't compare to the rest of the album.
For the most part, this album consists of tired-out material. It does, however, provide some great classics, with Focused making an appearance as well as Unashamed. Overcome is included, along with Focal Point and Strongarm. And even though these bands are either defunct or the songs included are simply old, they still hold replay value.
I can't say I would recommend this album. You may want to get it just to check out the new Embodyment song and Warlord's latest offering. Just don't go out thinking you're getting an awesome CD, because it isn't. It is solid, though (no pun intended); definitely a hardcore compilation; it's just a stale one.
2.5/5
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #79Reviewed by David BixlerThe title sums up this CD quite nicely. Perhaps one of the best "young" labels has released a sampler that showcases the talent evident throughout the label. Bands like Zao, Blindside, the mighty Extol, Stretch Arm Strong, and others are found playing some of their best songs from their featured Solid State releases. The standout track, however, is the unreleased Living Sacrifice song "Enthroned…Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by John SantThe new Solid State sampler is...well...a comp. There's a total of four new tracks, out of sixteen total. Needless to say, I was disappointed. Seeing as how quite a few of the Solid State bands are slated for releases sometime this year, it would have been nice to have had more of a preview of things to come. I've heard a couple tracks off the new ZAO and can't figure out why they didn't include…
