Enough- 2010 Demo Cassette

Band: Enough
Year: 2010
Label: self released
Format: Cassette
Tracks-
1. INTRO
2. Search Inside
3. Focus
4. Knock Me Down
5. Look Ahead
6. Step Back
7. Enough

Nashville Straight Edge band Enough didn't come out of nowhere in 2010; there was a lot of chatter about this band in the few months leading up to their first show on November 7. And it wasn't a little basement show either, in just two months, Enough have shared stages with Fire and Ice, Mother of Mercy, and Bitter End, the very happening hardcore bands. This is across a span of two shows at the time of writing. The first pressing of their demo tape sold out in a single evening, The second run of the tape has also sod out, and the 7" release of the demo has been sold out mostly in pre-orders, and Enough have already scored distribution in Europe. About the only thing harder to get than a hard copy of their demo is their t-shirts which sell out at every show they play.

So one would expect nothing but greatness from a band that is that in demand after playing only two shows right? Well that's just the thing—how great can a band rehashing 25 year old Youth Crew era hardcore be?

Perhaps to understand that, one has to know a bit about their home scene of Nashville, Tennessee, a scene populated by almost every possible brand of hardcore except Youth Crew revival. I was luckily able to snag their demo at the Love Is Red/Hollywood reunion show last month.

The first thing I noticed was that the tape's art work was a rip off of some old Token Entry art as opposed to the art on the first pressing, which while simple, was at least original. I'm also told the tape it self was better on the first pressing with its orange cover and blue tape. This tape was just a generic blank with hand written label.

Musically, everything here is run of the mill Youth Crew Revival fodder, with various songs about being stabbed in the back, unity, and general positivity. 5 of the 6 songs with lyrics involve opening your mind, or opening your eyes or some other allusion to sight. All are hook laden with gang vocal refrains every so often. The stand out track is the anthemic eponymous track 7 which is a youth crew song about bigotry and closes the tape nicely.

The musicianship and songwriting is solid, with all four members having come from other area bands, but no one strays far out of the youth crew mold on this record. Which is really the crux of the issue: no matter how good the band is, Enough still just a third or fourth generation clone of 80's New York hardcore.

While Enough is certainly doing the style justice, when compared to what is going on nationally in hardcore, they come across as just another drop in the bucket. Locally, however, they present a style that has been sorely absent in their home for quite some time. It is this scarcity in the face of a seeming insatiable demand that fuels the Enough machine. While there some detractors who are of the opinion that Enough are reaping an unfair amount of success for very little toil thus far, Enough's success is also a statement about the business side of hardcore. They have met a demand in the scene for a specific brand, and while perhaps not as experimental or artistically inclined as other bands, they have been rewarded for giving the kids what they want.

Free download link provided courtesy of Enough:

Download
http://www.enoughxcrew.blogspot.com/
Facebook: EnoughXCrew

Dolcim- Demo CD-R

Dolcim is actually a newish band from my home town. Comprised of my best friend's old childhood neighbor, ex- Cease Upon the Capitol members and an ex- I, Mammoth member, Dolcim is in many ways CUTC's successor spiritually and some what sonically. I got to see them play their first show with Legacies, Monolith, and a really cool guy from Chicago doing a one man ambient experimental thing. Dolcim actually played last that night and half way through their first song blew out a guitar amp. Not to be dissuaded, the guys from Monolith unpacked and loaned a head unit. I haven't seen a band play with that intensity in a good while.

But back to the music. what we have here is the band's 4 song demo handed out at the show. The songs all are strong and I remember when I first heard them my heart was all "yesss...". I can't put my finger on why though. Maybe its hometown pride. There's a lot of melody in there with out being the twinkly guitars I grew up hearing. Don't get me wrong, there are twinkly guitars, but they don't come out that often. As with a lot of screamo, the vocals really serve more as instruments, and I honestly have never even looked at the lyrics so your guess is as good as mine.

Basically, if you like CUTC, you'll like Dolcim. Also true for fans of Envy. In fact, "Noah's Ark Was an Orgy" sounds like an Envy song with more chord changes.

The CD-R is now available from React with Protest with extra packaging and on cassette from Utarid Tapes. Or you can contact the band via Myspace and they'll mail ya one post paid. They have an LP coming out before long; the Myspace has some rough cuts from that. Also, they'll be touring Europe in summer '09.

Dolcim- Demo, Summer 2008
self release