First Brawl
Full Of Nothing

LA RECENSIONE

From Bologna/Modena here are First Brawl, a hardcore collective active since 2014 with members from various alternative scenes. In their debut album "Full Of Nothing," they get straight to the point, focusing on strong emotions. Metal-oriented guitar riffs, continuous rhythmic upheavals, and two-step parts are what this band loves and knows how to do with extreme ease, offering the listener an album that could easily be performed live in its entirety given its intensity. Nine tracks are presented, among which "Born Empty" and "Stay Clear Of My" definitely stand out—simple and effective examples of First Brawl's philosophy. The New York scene (see Madball and Sick Of It All) as well as bands more inclined towards metal like Terror and First Blood are among the main sources of inspiration for the quartet, which is also careful to give precise structure to their ideas through engaged and never trivial lyrics. Obviously, as in most of these cases, originality is not a hallmark, but that doesn't matter much; what a hardcore album must convey are strong emotions and the desire for live shows, characteristics that seem not to be lacking in this band's DNA! Keep it up!