Glory, glory, hallejulah!
Certainly, Toronto, ON has the potential to be the new hardcore mecca based on the merits of other acts, but Career Suicide could do it all on their lonesome. The band's been doing purist early `80s hardcore punk for a few years now, but it's debatable that they haven't sound as accomplished as they do now with their second proper full-length and first in close to five years: Attempted Suicide.
Now more than ever Career Suicide has unearthed an absolute artifact. Attempted Suicide could be a 25-year anniversary of the style. Among its unrelenting sense of outrage, spewed disgust, shocking catchiness and perfectly ârough' production it might be argued Career Suicide even do it better than a couple of their influences (gasp!).
Laid out in the expertly minimal liner notes in a tightly typewritten font are some of the vastly more intelligent ramblings that make most of America's contributions to hardcore soundâ¦less than well-expressed. Career Suicide don't need five-dollar words because they've got the most direct, elaborate condemning and general, hopeless questioning around ("Show me the vein to cut / I want to know exactly how to do it / just how much of my blood will wash the troubles of this world away?" / "How long have you neglected that the hands that strangle you are yours?").
These words are even more effective in their delivery within the context of the music, which is nothing less than blistering for a blip over 20 minutes. The only arguable let-up could be the title track, for it begins with a simple chant of the song/album title along in time with the drums. Otherwise Career Suicide take you on a vicious ride lead by raspy, ramblingly yelled vocals, several gratuitous (yet concise) solos and an unadulterated, pounding pace. If you're not into it when Martin Farkas screams he's "getting / sick of / alwaysâ¦play[ing] the fucking part" in the opening torch "Play the Part," Attempted Suicide may not do much for you from that point on.
Granted, the band's garage edge has been stripped just a bit and they seem more fastcore-influenced than straight-up fastcore, both of which probably make things a bit more listenable than usual (for them), but this has only refined Career Suicide in the best of ways. They might only grab you by the throat with four fingers now, but they're digging even deeper into the jugular.
Highly recommended.
Play the Part
Saving Face
Recipe for Disaster
Out of the Fray
[Attempted Suicide's LP version was released in 2006, however it was released in January 2007 on compact disc.]