What can I say? I'm sucker for upbeat hardcore. Richmond, VA's Down to Nothing offer up 11 finger-pointingly good tracks with their debut full-length, "Save it for the Birds".

This album is just a whirlwind of speedy guitars and galloping drums, after the title track, there is no looking back. I'm heavily reminded of In My Eyes, Judge and other Revelation bands, back when they were infatuated almost exclusively with hardcore. To put it in scientific terms: this album rips. There are plenty of bands out there parading around with X's on their hands and Minor Threat shirts on their backs, but few of them can compete with the intensity and sincerity of Down to Nothing. This is what truly separates them from their contemporaries. The second the track, "One Eighty" the obligatory "you turned your back" song actually has impact. I remember hearing this song for the first time on "Fighting Music Vol. II" a while back and wondering where I could hear more from this band. The lyrics basically tell of a friend who formerly shoved his beliefs in everyone else's face, only to later shy away from those beliefs.

There really isn't a valley or down point on this album, no one song that makes you wish they'd up the tempo again. No one really knows what hardcore is these days, or so it seems. Everyone from Thursday to the Dillinger Escape Plan is being referred to as part of this genre. But make no mistake, Down to Nothing is most certainly a hardcore band, and they won't do anything to shake that description. This album is really what hardcore should sound like, with nods to the past, but without hero worship or blatant plagiarism of other band's songs.

In short, put down the Hatebreed CD and pick this one up instead, you'll thank me later