Man, it seems like I should've reviewed this a long time ago, and in fact, I should have. But, time, as they say, is money, and I've been short on both. But hey, better late than never, right? This split features longtime favorites, Kill Your Idols, along with newcomers, Crime in Stereo. I've been a fan of Crime in Stereo ever since I heard their mp3s upon their signing to Blackout/Brightside, and this split only cements the fact that they are a band to watch. Be sure to check out their full-length, as well. As for Kill Your Idols, I've always dug this band, but never enough to really seek out any of their records.
Kill Your Idols' gruff blend of punk and hardcore really makes me regret not getting my hands on any of their albums. They know how to use melodic music below gravel gargling vocals and they do it to perfection. The vocals will probably put a few people off at first, but give them a chance and I think you'll find yourself enjoying these songs. KYI's short and to the point style doesn't leave much time for solos or anything of that variety, but if fast and potent hardcore is what you're looking, you won't find much better than this.
Crime in Stereo may have come second on the split, but they weren't about to let Kill Your Idols steal the spotlight completely. For those unfamiliar with CiS, they play high energy melodic hardcore with extremely catchy riffs and plenty of sing along choruses. The vocals are somewhat reminiscent to old H2O, you know, before they got shitty/ The music is at times similar to Dag Nasty, particularly on the song "It Ain't All Hugs And Handshakes." This is the type of band I could listen to all day. They really sound like they're having fun, and as a result these songs are fun to listen to. This band has a tremendous future, hopefully they stick around long enough to realize their potential.
If you're a fan of Kill Your Idols, you're going to want to have this. If you're a fan of good, melodic hardcore, you'll want to check out Crime In Stereo. As far as splits go, it doesn't get much better than this one.