EP REVIEW

GIVE UP THE GHOST
"LOVE AMERICAN"

(Reflections Records - RFL042)

1. LOVE AMERICAN
2.
THE HELL WE’VE BEEN THROUGH
3. YOU AND ME

GIVE UP THE GHOST "Love American" EP

giveuptheghost@aol.com
www.giveuptheghost.com

 

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If you’re thinking that you’ve never heard of these guys before but listen to modern hardcore, you may recognise them by their former name American Nightmare. Due to a legal wrangle with a Philadelphia metal band of the same name, they were forced to drop that tag and start afresh. They have a wealth of experience and respect to aid them but it must have been one hell of a set back.

This is the first new material since 2001 and the EP acts as an appetiser for their forthcoming album "We’re Down Till We’re Underground". And a very small hors d'oeuvre it is too, the three tracks coming in at a brief 7 minutes 21 seconds.

“Love American” and “The Hell We’ve Been Through” are flat-out, screaming, and undeniably hardcore with a melodic backbone and infectious chanting choruses. The third song “You And Me” is a cover of an Archers Of Loaf song and is more restrained and emotional, even melancholy, but still has the aggressive screaming vocals that energise it way above the morose original that was performed by the indie band back in the early nineties.

This EP shows the expert handle the band has on creating influential hardcore and although there isn’t any ground breaking going on here, they do what they do very well. Despite the hindrance of a new name and the obvious associated delays, one thing’s for sure - they don’t intend to Give up the Ghost (*grimace* Ed).

12345678910 - Rigsby  (7th September, 2003)
www.iwillbeheard.co.uk