MADBALL — Hardcore Lives (review)

MADBALL — Hardcore Lives album cover Album · 2014 · Hardcore Punk Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Kev Rowland
‘Hardcore Lives’ was released on June 27th 2014, and was the first album from Madball in four years. Tracked and engineered by famed Unearth guitarist Ken Susi and mixed & mastered by long-time collaborator Zeuss (Hatebreed, Agnostic Front, Soulfly, Terror, Whitechapel...). The band that started life as an Agnostic Front side-project, with Roger Miret’s young half-brother on vocals, has become totally synonymous with hardcore, the two are interchangeable with the difference being that although there are many bands who can call themselves hardcore, there truly can only ever be one Madball. They truly understand that there needs to be far more than just shouted vocals and punk aggression, and they cram their songs and albums with hooks as well as passion.

Singer Freddy Cricien, explains the album title as follows: “I shouted "Hardcore Lives" on MADBALL's first release, ‘Ball Of Destruction’ - I was twelve then. It wasn't pre planned or written down... it was an ad-lib that I just threw out there and we kept it! Back then there was no choice really, not the way we were recording - two track live at Don Fury's... NYHC style! I feel the sentiment behind the expression still holds true today, maybe even more so. Hence the reason we finally chose to use it as a title. Sure, it's about waving the flag for our genre/culture, etc. - I've always felt that "we as a scene" had to scream just a lil louder... to be heard! That said, “Hardcore Lives” at least to us, is not just about a cool "catchphrase" - it's about that rebellious spirit that doesn't give in... In life, music, whatever. It's about growing, evolving, and maintaining your integrity in the process. It's about family, overcoming adversity, and respect. All the things that matter inside and outside of the music realm. It's for everyone and anyone with an open mind and heart.“

I don’t think Madball know how to release a poor album, and more than 25 years on from the early days and a twelve-year-old singer, they still know exactly what they need to do to satisfy both themselves and their fans. More metal than what many would consider to be “pure hardcore”, this is great. 


Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Caedes Animarum Deathcore
INVISIBLE SPHERE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Empty Doom Metal
BONGRIPPER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Shadowflame Deathcore
BREATH OF SINDRAGOSA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Iniquitous Deathcore
SINISTER SECTOR
Buy this album from MMA partners
Untoward Perpetuity Deathcore
AND HELL FOLLOWED WITH
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 2 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 2 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 3 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed