Razorblade Handgrenade
And I Try to Stay Positive... (2007)
Brian Shultz
Razorblade Handgrenade do a take on NYHC modeled after the late '80s and early '90s, And I Try to Stay Positive… being their latest release, a full-length released back in 2007.
The band hit the mark as far as their influences seem to indicate, as the album is a pretty solid interpretation of elder hardcore with a tasteful touch of metallic overtones. It's usually up-tempo and only a little bit beefy, coming off as Suicidal Tendencies-esque but with the straightforward heaviness of Breakdown and, on occasion, the crisp delivery of Leeway's Born to Expire. There's enough melody and groove in here to remind me of someone like Fahrenheit 451, though, and sure, while it's a little cheesy as this style of NYHC is prone to be, it could be way worse.
The New Jersey band does away with most frills while maintaining a pretty dynamic sense of rhythm and drive. "Everywhere I Go" is an invigorated second track with pulsating basslines and stable, guitar-driven tempos that feel well-done, even though the song comes to a grindingly goofy halt when the singer starts to chant "Fuck / the mothafuckin' po-lice!" at the end. You really can't help but giggle. They spice up "Ask This Question" by adding an alternate tone to the modest guitar solo, and "Beer, Beef and Gold Teef" has a solid NYHC bounce about it, but we could leave its hip-hop-inspired lyrical content to your imagination.
Positive tacks on the four tracks from their 2006 Living Life demo for good measure, but the production isn't nearly as good and the songs are comparatively lackluster, although you can hear the promise in something like the hooks for the title track and the macho professions of "Skinned and Stuffed."
Not something I could listen to all the time, but cool stuff, and I don't say that just because these dudes could probably beat me up with their respective pinkies.