This is ridiculous. Out of the 19 tracks on this CD, 5 are currently available for download on Epitaph's webpage [Pennywise, Division Of Laura Lee, Randy, Death By Stereo, and 98 Mute]. 2 are available on BYO Records webpage [you guessed it, the Rancid and NOFX tracks are both from the split]. At least 2 [that I can remember] have also been previously available for download on Epitaph's webpage [the Millencolin and Hot Water Music songs]. Even if you don't believe in downloading whole CDs, if you would have kept your eyes open you would have already downloaded half of this CD legally. Maybe it's just me, but I think that's lame.
Another lame thing about this comp is the lack of unreleased material. Only three bands contributed new, unreleased material - Death By Stereo, Hot Water Music, and Guttermouth. Not exactly Epitaph's "A List." The Guttermouth song is trite and sophomoric. The Hot Water Music song has *way* too many "woah"s in it and is now my least favorite HWM song ever. Death By Stereo, a band that I never really liked before, doesn't do much to change my mind here with this new song. All in all, the unreleased material was a big dud.
As for the previously released material [that's not already available for download somewhere], the [International] Noise Conspiracy's "Up For Sale" is by far the best track, followed closely by Beatsteaks' "God Knows." Bad Religion and Pulley both give good rockers off their last albums, and I actually like the Deviates song [okay, more like I can tolerate it].
For a label that has been doing so much growing artistically in the past year, this sampler reeks of stagnancy and complacency. A lot of these releases that the songs are from came out over a year ago. Where's the new blood of the label? The CD's cause isn't helped much considering the lack of good unreleased material on here. I honestly can't recommend this to anyone, really. There's a glut of label samplers/compilations coming out lately, and they're all about the same price. Pick up one other than this one, unless you're a diehard Epi-fan.
98 Mute - M.A.D.
Division Of Laura Lee - Black City
Millencolin - Fingers Crossed
Hot Water Music - Wayfarer
Death By Stereo - Wasted Words
Pennywise - The World
Randy - Addicts of Communication
NOFX - Olympia, WA