My Love, My Way
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 6:58PM 
The album "Witness" by Modern Life Is War is one of the best hardcore(et al sub-genre associated) records of the 2000's. It's been incredibly acclaimed by everyone under the sun. Someone said it's the "greatest hardcore album of our generation". Think about that. This is my "Damaged" or "Out of Step" or "Dag Nasty" or "Petitioning the Empty Sky". Here's some other quotes from the Wiki of this album:
"Witness breaks boundaries and surpasses dreams hardcore has not even had yet. It is eloquent and beautiful in every way. You will get choked up the first time you hear it."
Reviewers for Punknews.org were the most blunt with their praise, simply stating that "if every album could be like Witness, then maybe music wouldn’t suck as bad is it does right now."
This album is that good. I don't give a fuck if you don't like hardcore, especially more mid-paced, dissonant, expressive and passionate hardcore. Everyone in the band plays incredibly well and once again lyrics reign supreme. Jeffrey Eaton blow Darby Crash out of the water when it comes to poetic lyrics. This guy knows what you're feeling deep down whether you know it or not. Every second I listen to this CD I feel like I'm fifteen at my first shit hole bar or basement show with a bunch of sweaty people screaming every word they can as loud as they can until they go hoarse. I can see the band playing, their singer amping the crowd, sharing the mic, diving. Kids everywhere are climbing on top of each other to get on the stage, stage diving, finger pointing. Tears start streaming down our faces because we all feel the same thing. We have collective empathy. The words pour out like they were our own and everyone lets go of everything inside.
Every time I hear this CD, that's how I feel. It all comes rushing back and gives me goosebumps.
All the albums I mentioned are starting points, I especially feel Dag Nasty is a big one. Jacob Bannon is a great lyricist to compare Jeffery Eaton to but the bands don't find much resemblance beyond that. They do however share another relationship, this record being put out on Deathwish Inc. and Jacob Bannon doing the artwork and layout. Kurt Ballou also recorded this at his Godcity Studio in surprise, Massachusetts. Figures. Even the best bands have to go through MA.
My favourite songs are "Martin Atchet", "D.E.AD. R.A.M.O.N.E.S", "Young Man On A Spree" and "Hair-Raising Accounts of Restless Ghosts (AKA Hell is for Heroes, Part 2)". It's so hard to pick a favourite of those. There really is none since their all such solid song. "D.E.A.D R.A.M.O.N.E.S." is a anthem that demands pile-ons and sing-alongs and finger pointing.
Reader Comments (5)
forgive my obvious ignorance, but which band? i'm either blind and you didn't mention it. just curious.
also we are the romans, jane doe, bad brains and loose nut would like to have a word with you.
The band is Modern Life Is War, sorry if I didn't make that very clear. Totally my bad.
BTW "Jane Doe" is NOT the best Converge album, I don't give a shit what Decibel says. They're fucking wrong. And those other albums came out when I was born, not when I got into music so my analogy still stands true ;p
sir, jane doe is indeed their best album. i'm sorry to inform you that you are wrong in this instance. happens to us all.
MIdnight In America is their best album.
Oh what band are we talking about - proof read before you hit the publish button.
Converge is for 20 year olds who don't know shit about real hardcore.
Jane Doe was the opus.
They've written the same mediocre wanky noise ever since. Shame.
Midnight In America was too slow and plodding for me. Just never got into it.
I agree that Jane Doe is a great record, but that's NOT the Converge I fell in love with. After Aaron Dalbec left the band they started sounding.....less musically heavy and more emotionally heavy. I can't take it. To me, Jane Doe isn't the record that made people realize Converge aren't to be fucked with, it was their earlier material that spawned thousands of clones.