American Steel

American Steel (1998)

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I have no idea how to even describe what this album sounds like. If you're familiar with the rest of American Steel's discography, know in advance that this album sounds nothing like the others. Not even a little bit. If anything, it kind of sounds like Rogue's March, but that's a stretch. Rogue's March is tame compared to this. To put it simply, this is the most punk album I've heard in my life. No hyperbole. The speed is fast as fuck. The vocals are gritty and raw. The lyrics are intelligent and political. This isn't the American Steel you know from Destroy Their Future and Jagged Thoughts. This doesn't sound like Alkaline Trio or any other band like that. This is straight-up, in-your-face punk rock, and American Steel never drops the speed for a second.

And I'll be fucked if this isn't one of the best albums I've heard in my entire life. This is the best of the best folks. Very advanced street punk minus the negative connotation normally associated with the street aspect of street punk. I simply don't know how else to say it. You just have to hear it for yourself. This shit owns everything even remotely like it.

With a running time just over 41 minutes, each of the 17 tracks of this album will leave you breathless. Not because that's how good these songs are (even though they are that good), but because each track on the album knocks the wind out of you like a dropkick to the stomach by a fucking cannon ball. There is nothing negative to say about this album. No other albums sound like this. You just have to hear it for yourself.

As American Steel's debut album, it can be a little hard to find (and maybe a little hard to swallow on your first listen). But New Disorder Records seem to have a few hard copies for sell and a digital download pack as well. Do yourself a favor and make an appointment for an old-school ass-kicking by American Steel.