New Jersey's
Full Speed Ahead sadly didn't hang around long enough to see their first and only album released -- in fact, they were already fours year gone! But, lucky for them, indie punk label Manic Ride was watching their backs and not only finally issued the aptly named
Born to Lose in 2004, but also saw fit to grace its cover with unique artwork by legendary sometime
Metallica artist
Pushead. Of course that's where any similarities with the metal giants cease, since, like their hardcore heroes
Negative Approach,
JFA, and
Black Flag (whose "Jealous Again" is covered here),
Full Speed Ahead specializes in churning out no-frills, slam-dance ready, skate park friendly punk rock. Flailing balls of energy like "Erase in Mind" and "Everyone's in my Way" also give props to N.Y.C. hardcore heroes
Agnostic Front (check out that speedy fingering of bassist
Will Suicide), and with the likes of "Drain Pool," "Living in Debt," and "Reaching an End" standing out among the album's many highlights, it's evident that
Full Speed Ahead were intent on living up to their name. And as it closes out strong on the excellent pairing of "Outlawed" and "Routine," it's fair to say that
Born to Lose sees this band victorious in death.