Hardknox
Hardknox

THE REVIEW

Hardknox, a name that may be new to some. Personally, I didn't know them; I discovered them through the internet, with my constant musical explorations.

They struck me quite a bit; they are a mix between (I'm about to mention some heavy names, but I do it only to give the reader a point of reference) Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, and Fatboy Slim above all.

In this self-titled album released back in the distant '99 you'll find a myriad of different influences besides those already mentioned. For example, you can find nu-metal riffs, techno samples, and d'n'b, funky parts, rapping, and the list could go on.
The cover even has the "parental advisory - explicit content" label, which is not too typical in productions of this type, almost as if to emphasize a certain rap soul of the group. The main rhythm of this album is certainly set on breakbeat and breaks.

The opener "Coz I Can" is a well-constructed typical breaks song that greatly resembles Plump DJs, "Come In Hard" relies on a vocal rap-hip hop that really drives, with a beat in typical Prodigy style.
Perhaps the most successful track of the album, along with the single "Attitude," which is based on a typically nu-metal riff, break rhythms, and a female vocal that inevitably gets stuck in your head.
"Resistance Is Futile" continues with the female vocal but this time in a really catchy fast rap version. "Ain't Going Down" is a special track that starts very slowly and then in the last 3 minutes ends with drum'n'bass rhythms.

The album closes with a remix of "Attitude," one of the downsides of this album, clearly the classic filler, in my opinion superfluous, as it is practically identical to the original. In conclusion, an album that doesn't add much to what has already been heard, although going back to 1999
a certain amount of experimentation can be found, perhaps not for all listeners, but especially suitable for fans of Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, breaks, breakbeat, and those who love new sounds.

(sic)VII