The First Step

What We Know

Written by: PP on 19/09/2006 17:20:21

The First Step is one hell of a liveband, at least when judging from the cover of their debut album "What We Know", featuring a photograph of a mosh pit with legs, hands and people everywhere. "It's Time... TO.. UNDER-STAND!" yells their frontman on the opening track bearing the same name, which sets the expectations for the rest of the album perfectly, with a pace guaranteed to create at least as intense mosh pit as pictured on the cover. You would have to look long back to the days of Minor Threat and Youth Of Today to find as honest hardcore punk as The First Step presents here, with each and every track speaking an important and straightforward message straight from the heart.

Forget about gimmicks, makeup, excessive political messages or complaints about society, The First Step doesn't want to be involved in none of these. Instead, Stephen's scratched voice yells messages of peace, life and not giving up. The effect of honesty and DIY is fortified with the breakneck paced power chords and the characteristic bass lines, as if it was Latterman on speed & steroids. Forget also about occasional guitar 'mini' solos, instrumental passages or breakdowns, because there are none of those. The sense of manufacture that even bands like Comeback Kid or Bane possess is entirely absent when Aaron's fretting is clearly displayed, and Stephens yelled-out lyrics reflect the real world where you have to work for your living instead of the usual twisted reality touring bands tend to live in. Songs like "Get Wise" open up fast, continue fast, and finish fast, while creating that odd bit of melody throughout the rapid-fire drumming and the power chords, always staying inside the context and pre-defined boundaries of the genre.

It's bands like The First Step that restore your faith to the punk scene, where the looks and success weren't as important as the message, and politics were never explicitly included in an attempt to target a certain audience or to gain fame. The First Step succeeds in creating one of the most honest straight-forward hardcore punk albums of the modern times in just shy of 30 minutes, and if they don't get blinded by the sudden success, they are likely to become underground cult hits much like Terror. If you weren't around in the late 80s, this is a must.

8

Download: Get Wise, Pursuit Of Happiness
For the fans of: Youth Of Today, Bad Religion, Damage Control, Set Your Goals
Listen: 2 x MP3 @ label's website

Release date 06.06.2006
Rivalry Records
Provided by Target ApS

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