On the album-opening song by Boston's
A Global Threat, the band shouts that "we want our part in something new." Not hardly. What they want is their part in something old -- old-school hardcore, that is, Boston-style, circa 1983. Sure, there are other elements here as well, including the occasional subtle whiff of emo, but by far the strongest element on this record (their first for the Better Youth Organization label) is early-'80s hardcore. And good for them. Sometimes it takes a band like this to remind you how fresh and exciting those
SSD and
Gang Green concerts were back in the day, and if they can add the occasional fancy chord voicing or melodic interlude while still keeping the energy level up where it belongs, then so much the better.
Where the Sun Never Sets features 18 songs and lasts just over half an hour, only one song going past the three-minute mark and several clocking in at right around one; this adds to the feeling of urgency, even panic, that flavors tracks like "Making Enemies" and "Channel 34." Lead singer
Bryan has a surprisingly good voice, and manages to yell with both raw power and impressive clarity -- you hardly even need the lyric sheet. Recommended.