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Wow. Brooklyn’s finest are back with a vengeance. Well, vengeance that is steeped in history. Not history in the sense of a trip down Memory Lane or Nostalgia Highway, no. I’m talkin’ about history in the sense that Biohazard is perhaps the most important Hardcore band therein. Oh, sure, others came before them and others can be said to play this brand of music better. However, Biohazard did something that no one else did back in the early ‘90s and that is stay Hardcore but sell records. On “Means to an End” Evan and the boys are back to say “Hatebreed who?”
This album has all the major tenets of the Biohazard sound that has since been co-opted by countless others, including Jamey Jasta’s crew. There are the simply crushing riffs, the basic but thrash-worthy beats, the rumbling bass, the blues-infused leads, and let’s not forget the chant along vocals popular with almost all the NYHC bands -- and even those not from N’Yawk. Thankfully gone this time around are any Rap tendencies, save from the cadence used to deliver some vocal patterns.
Sonically speaking, this record falls between “Urban Discipline” (1992) and “State of the World Address” (1994). That is pretty good company, particularly as those are easily the band’s strongest efforts (not in chronological order -- though that might be me tripping down Memory Lane). The record is fairly brief at under 34 minutes, but sometimes brevity affords the most effective statement. The lyrical themes are of the self-empowering variety typical of Hardcore bands and if you think you’ve heard this before, you may very well have. Still, Biohazard packs a punch that makes you think it’s 1993.
If you like Hatebreed, you really owe it to yourself to listen to their forebears in Biohazard -- if you haven’t already done so, that is. Touring the world with Slayer (almost a decade apart) didn’t hurt either band, don’tcha know? The album opens with an air raid siren and ends with the lyrics “It’s time to die” but I sincerely doubt this is the last that any of us will see or hear of Biohazard. If they keep this flame burning, I think we have a lot to look forward to.
Highlight: the very Black Sabbath sounding “Killing to be Free” that instantly invokes “War Pigs” and may even borrow liberally therefrom. The only thing missing is their introduction to “After Forever” off the first major label Black Sabbath tribute record: “Yo, this is Biohazard from Brooklyn, New York, droppin’ some respect for the almighty Black Sabbath, ’94, motherfucker!” I mean 2005....
| Tracklist |
| 1. My Life, My Way |
| 2. The Fire Burns Inside |
| 3. Killing To Be Free |
| 4. Filled With Hate |
| 5. Devotion |
| 6. Break It Away From Me |
| 7. Kings Never Die |
| 8. Don't Stand Alone |
| 9. To The Grave |
| 10. Set Me Free |
: 33.45
| Buy other Biohazard albums |
