First impressions will have most listeners pegging Richmond, VA's
Ten 33 as a run-of-the-mill hardcore band. So typical, in fact, that it's quite a surprise to hear its members suddenly join lungs for hardcore gang-shouts of "God save us all!" on the second track, "Discontent." Yes, the boys are believers in a higher power, but they only occasionally let such convictions run away with the message (see "From Me to You," besides the above), relying instead on the usual array of hardcore lyric material for their sub-two-minute tales of loyalty ("It Never Dies"), regret ("Bloodlines"), perseverance ("Can't Get Out," "Hold On"), and relationships ("Lights Out," the rather cleverly stated "What's Left"). In the end, and excepting the unusually horror flick-inspired "March on Castle Greyskull," however, the all-abiding message is still about having faith, one supposes. So it should matter little what the ultimate inspiration (earthly or divine) behind
Ten 33's music might be -- especially given their stance against extreme fundamentalists of any stripe on "Jerry's Kids." Nowhere near revolutionary nor likely to let them quit their day jobs just yet,
Nightmare on Grace Street is nevertheless an entertaining and well-executed hardcore debut. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia