Show Of Force - Self Titled

The debut album by Show Of Force contains seven tracks of raging and tough old school hardcore. Hardcore is a genre where you can get away with taking a lot from other bands as long as it’s entertaining and that’s the case with this band.
Listening to these tracks it’s hard not to think of classic acts like Madball, Killing Time, Agnostic Front and such. They may lack the depth of Set It Off, Brightside or Victim In Pain, but nonetheless the band flawlessly executes all the aspects that define the NYHC genre and they do it with skills and practice. The songs sound catchy, fast and pissed off. The production is superb, but at the same time the clean sound doesn’t strip the rawness of the band. Musically, they’re head and shoulders above lots of other bands that play with this style. Lyrically, a large portion of the album deals with topics such as personal struggles, dirty politicians and fucked up society, all presented with an in-your-face delivery. I know it may sound cliché, but as long as they sound honest it’s cool with me. If I had to choose my fav track, I’d definitely go for Worst Case Scenario, a politically themed monster of a song with the chorus that will stick to your head for days. If you’re into NYHC, this is a must!

Review by Dloogi
Label: Real Recognizes Real Records
Year: 2009
Band's website