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Rating: The NYHC always seemed different to me from the rest of the American scene for several reasons that I won't list here. Perhaps the most important reason is that it developed with a bit of delay compared to the rest of the country, but the fact remains that the musical and stylistic characteristics of the New York bands can be attributed to a common thread, namely NewYorkHardCore.
Many bands from this circuit, especially around the mid-'80s, were distinguished by a bellicose and proto-fascist attitude (above all Cro-Mags) and for turning their concerts into mega brawls between the audience and the police. Over the years, the New York scene expanded significantly, incorporating various styles and mentalities, also assimilating the straight edge movement and radicalizing it with groups like Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits.
Madball was born in 1989 as a side project of the NYHC godfathers, Agnostic Front. On vocals was a youngster named Freddy Cricien, none other than the younger brother of Roger Miret, singer of Agnostic Front, on guitar Vinnie Stigma, on bass Roger Miret himself, and on drums Will Shepler. This was the line-up of "Ball of Destruction" in broad terms (in some songs Matt Henderson is on second guitar) which would later change several times. "Ball of Destruction" gathers 22 tracks, mostly unused songs by Agnostic themselves, of super-fast and pure Hardcore punk, in perfect American tradition, reminiscent in style and brevity of "United Blood" and "Victims in Pain." There's no trace of originality in a genre that doesn't require it and from a band that never claimed it; what interests Madball is hitting you with these hardcore blows that are still completely free of metal and metalcore veins (God help me!!!! metalcore, just what we needed... ).
"Colossal Man," "I'ts My Life," "Get Out," "Friend or Foe," "We Should Care," and all the others are explosive songs lasting just a handful of seconds that anyone who loves NYHC must hear. In the booklet, there are photos of Cricien as a child singing with a bandana on his head and wearing an Agnostic t-shirt!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 We Should Care (01:05)
What is this world coming to
There's no faith, there's no hope
People live in fear, and kill and
ask why die? What is this world
coming to I can't believe what you're
trying to do you're killing people all time
and not paying for your crime, what is
this world coming to I can't believe
what you're trying to do you're killing people all
the time and not paying for your crime
look at me and look at you you think we're
all same but don't you know we're different
in your own way Do you got that fucked up
attitude? You say you don't care but
we all need unity for all of us to share
no faith, no hope, live, kill
why die! Why don't you go fuck yourself
and let me live my life.
Blah!!!
08 It's My Life (00:59)
It's my life and I'll do what i want
It's my life and I'll say what I want
Its my life and I'll do what I care
It's my life and I'll shave my hair
You turn it around you turn it around
your turn in my life up side down
(repeat)
10 Spit on Your Grave (02:13)
All you wished was to block my goals.
All you did was strenghten my soul.
And what I wanted from you, I couldn't get.
So dreading our deaths is how we choose to live.
You're the one who feeds my rage.
You're to blame fror endless pain.
It's in your nature to destroy my dreams.
It's in my heart to damage your means.
Because I feed off your fire day after day.
It's you who I live for, until I shit on your grave.
(Chorus)
So shall it be the last laugh on me?
When you lay there to rot, I breathe.
(Chorus)
13 Ready to Fight (01:10)
We won't take any shit and we're not about to leave
Just cause you don't like who and what we want to be
Who are you to say what's wrong what's right
If it's what it takes, we're ready to fight
Ready to fight, ready to fight
Ready to fight, fight, fight, fight, fight
15 Across Your Face (01:41)
In your eyes we've always
Been the bad guys
Droppin' false knowledge
You're just full of lies
You've misled our youth
Distracting them with fantasy
But your plan backfired
Blewout into reality
I've taken on losers
Like you in my past
So why should I stoop
To your sorry ass
I thought you were my friend
But you showed me disgrace
I'll slap you with
reality across your face
16 We Should Care (01:41)
What is this world coming to
There's no faith, there's no hope
People live in fear, and kill and
ask why die? What is this world
coming to I can't believe what you're
trying to do you're killing people all time
and not paying for your crime, what is
this world coming to I can't believe
what you're trying to do you're killing people all
the time and not paying for your crime
look at me and look at you you think we're
all same but don't you know we're different
in your own way Do you got that fucked up
attitude? You say you don't care but
we all need unity for all of us to share
no faith, no hope, live, kill
why die! Why don't you go fuck yourself
and let me live my life.
Blah!!!
17 No Return (01:20)
I'm tired of people taking with no return
never giving back when it was my turn
I'm done giving charity so leave me be
I have nothing to offer and no one to feed
only myself I'm the one in need
forced to live this way because of your greed
18 Step to You (01:28)
Here I'll put it to you
before we fight
I need to step to you
to prove I'm right
I never leaked a drop of loyalty
i never lost my hate and purity
you say you're down and out and I'm to blame
but all there ever was
was shame in your game
never will we battle or bleed for you again
never will we swallow our pride for your revenge
i guess you never had it in your heart
you never had our back you were destined to part
you played yourself out
flashing true colours
proving that bit of doubt to your brothers
sukers like you run in and out of jams and pretty soon your luck will end
19 Friend or Foe (01:51)
Hang out with me then you stab me in the
Back- are you friend or foe
See me on the streets you walk right by
Me- are you friend or foe
Tell me on the phone that i'm a fucking
clone- are you friend or foe
Why dont mind your own life and leave me
alone- are you friend or foe
friend, foe
Are you my friend or foe
20 It's My Life (01:27)
It's my life and I'll do what i want
It's my life and I'll say what I want
Its my life and I'll do what I care
It's my life and I'll shave my hair
You turn it around you turn it around
your turn in my life up side down
(repeat)
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