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| Witness | 
 enlarge | Artist: Modern Life Is War
Label: Deathwish Inc
Category: Music
List Price: $12.98
Buy New: $8.24
You Save: $4.74 (37%)
New (30) Used (12) from $5.69
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 86028
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 45
UPC: 790168353420
EAN: 0790168353420
ASIN: B0009A1B2C
Release Date: June 21, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | The Outsider (AKA Hell Is for Heroes, Pt. 1) | | • | Martin Atchet | | • | John and Jimmy | | • | Marshall Town | | • | D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S. | | • | Young Mand on a Spree | | • | I'm Not Ready | | • | Young Man Blues | | • | Hair Raising Accounts of Restless Ghosts (AKA Hell Is for Heroes, ...) |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Get in the know August 2, 2005
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
There are undoubtedly many of those who claim that hardcore is a dull, stagnant genre in serious need of a quick, timely death. It's easy to see from where they draw their argument, because hardcore is a hugely popular genre that has simply refused to evolve for far too long. Fortunately for the hardcore aficionado with discerning taste, there have been a handful of bands taking the style and putting their own unique twist on it, sometimes rendering it beyond recognition. Modern Life Is War's 2003 masterpiece, My Love. My Way, took the established genre, tore it to pieces, and filled in the rest with unfiltered power. With loads of gang vocals and 2-step tempos, it could immediately be recognized as hardcore, but categorically felt more inspired, intense, and emotional (while of course eschewing the hyper-cliché "emo" tag) than virtually any band in the genre. Witness sees MLIW further digressing from the conventional hardcore sound and becoming even MORE inspired, intense, and emotional: a feat I might have never thought possible.
The opener "The Outsiders" sets a ridiculously high standard for the rest of the album, with its highly effective slow pace, full-sounding guitars, and Jeffrey Eaton's fantastic, cathartic vocals. It is as perfect an intro, if not better than, "Breaking the Cycle" of My Love. My Way, and in my book, that's saying quite a lot, because "We're taking back what they stole! PREPARE YOUR SOUL!!" is one hell of a hard line to beat for introducing the rest of an album. "Martin Atchet" definitely plays the "Late Bloomers" role on Witness, following the slow intro with a more upbeat song containing the catchiest chorus on the album (dig the melodic picking). "John and Jimmy" addresses the ubiquitous issue of the war in Iraq without resorting to preachy protesting or blind nationalism; instead, it is a song of sincere admiration of the soldiers' ("John and Jimmy") courage and a realization of how easy we civilians ("the passive sinners") really have it. The unconventional "Marshalltown" is another one of the Witness's highlights, containing what is perhaps the coolest line on the album: "the smoke from hell's exhaust pipe/ lingers above the cheap rent in the dark night." Badass.
"D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S." is another one of the album's faster, more anthemic tracks. An ode to the long-forgotten punk rock lifestyle ("we're not pretty and we're not rich/ we're gonna hafta f***ing work for it") with a catchy, climactic coda (do I get points for alliteration?) which I've made a point to experience live before I die, the song will no doubt register with those who have ever had to sacrifice in doing what they love for a living. With its shuffling drums and minute duration, "Young Man on a Spree" is an oddball; perhaps a tribute to the Smiths' oft-considered infamous short takes on rockabilly ("Shakespeare's Sister," etc.). The last three tracks sum up Witness perfectly, especially "Hair Raising Accounts of Restless Ghosts," inspired by a mixtape given to Eaton, his first exposure to many of the bands that have changed his life. Even at five and a half minutes, the song is consistently thrilling and probably the band's most dynamic offering yet: a fitting coda to a jaw-dropping record.
While still a far cry from the greatness of, say, Botch or Converge, MLIW serve up the core jams proper.
Original Hardcore October 13, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I won't bother with coming up with some sort of witty writeup here. I'll just say it, this band is so good. Deathwish Inc. is slowly becoming one of my favorite labels ever and their doing nothing to deter me with releases like this. This is freshest, most unique sounding hardcore record I've heard in years. The only detractor is it is short, but what hardcore record usually isn't short?
I'm not even sure how to describe their sound other then that their is not a single hardcore band out there that comes close to sounding like Modern Life Is War--lyrically, musically, conceptually, everything. If Comeback Kid, Rise Against (minus the clean vocals), and Bane were thrown into a blender you might begin to get a good idea of what MLIW is like. This is definetly a worthy purchase and the best hardcore record to come out this year.
Amazing. February 3, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
An all out amazing realease.
Be warned: this record contains no breakdowns - and that's how it should be. This ladies & gentlemen is hardcore. This is a band that puts everything they have into their music. Ranging from bleak, dreary, slow sonic soundscapes created through droning guitars accompanied by simple yet effective drumming to quick agressive chords (definitely not JUST power chords) and energizing beats Modern Life Is War satisfies.
What really did it for me is the vocals. Rawness. Conviction. Desolation. An all around pissed of kid dealing with the world the best he can. Each and every song will get to you. Song subject ranges from Friendship and the loss of it, to war, to just getting through the day with the myriad problems one is confronted with daily
(****note a previous review said the song "John and Jimmy" was about an admiration of the soldiers. It is not. the lyrics tell of a guy who was a soldier and came home. He was regarded as a war hero by everyone. The "passive sinners" line referred to was of sarcasm or from the point of view of a supporter of the war. Quote - "John and Jimmy, say a prayer for us - the passive sinners" passive sinners because they are not fighting for the war and **sarcasm** anyone not fighting in that war MUST be a sinner **end sarcasm** this song contains one of my favorite endings ever.the song ends with "I bite my tongue. I shake your hand. yeah, I'm still playing in that stupid band. 'cause we all do what we gotta do, boys we're all doing whatever we can." - this is clearly not a song of admiration for the soldiers. In essence it is how the 'counter-culture' reacts and operates. That 'stupid band' or, what others regard as stupid, is all he has, it's what he believes is the best way to make a difference - not fighting. Sorry about the rambling but I feel that's a big thing to clear up as it gives the band a completely different feel - one of my favorite songs)
While the lyrics will usually start out in an almost depressing and hopeless fasion they will always contain a message of staying strong and holding true to yourself to make it through. All done without sounding at all whiny and maybe more amazingly preachy as many hardcore bands have a tendency of doing. At the end of the day this record stirs feelings of anger and resentment of the world around while simultaneously being incredibly uplifting. it will also inspire you to overcome any obstacles you have in your way.
As long as you're not looking for some 'totally brutal breakdowns' and actually enjoy heartfelt music this is definitely a great record to get.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
 Sorry to be the one to say... March 10, 2006
2 out of 13 found this review helpful
I really am sorry to rain on everybody's parade as far as this band is concerned but from my attempts at listening to this cd after buying it, it's just not good. Now maybe after even more listens it might grow on me...but at this point I'm really doubting it. I bought this cd because everybody is just creaming all over about how great this band and cd are, and they play a traditional style of hardcore that I love similar to peers like Comeback Kid, With Honor, Bane etc. I keep hearing how they are "playing the music they want to play, not just throwing in sweet break downs." Well if this is the music they want to play, they either can't play better or just want to play boring music. Let me describe what I mean by boring. The guitars are not even anything close to being anything heavy, its just a bunch of droning guitar work that sounds like it could fit into some dumb indie band. The reviewer below me described these guitars are creating landscapes....well they don't. They just drone and make the songs go nowhere and bores me to tears. Making this even more boring is the use of simple and boring (and no, NOT effective) drum beats. Just like the guitars the beats are extremely slow and take the songs nowhere. So that is half the band. Guitars and drums = boring. Bass....never really matters unless its insanely technical, but of course its not here. That leaves the vocals. The only good thing about this band. The lyrics and vocals are just stellar here. Which to me, makes this cd even more frusterating because I want to like it. Their vocalist should find better musicians who don't want to play such boring songs that go absolutely nowhere and put their listener to sleep because he really is fantastic.
For a comparison example of what this band sounds like...take old With Honor. Now make their vocals even more throaty and really ticked off sounding, slow their drumming down and simplify it to really boring beats, and take out any heaviness they have in their guitars to just droning indie sounding nonsense and you get an idea. I can't imagine that painting a pleasing picture for you, reviewer. With Honor and Bane was, and still is, the bands in hardcore who are playing really good hardcore and "not throwing in all the sweet parts, and breakdowns" and doing it right, not boring. Buy "Heart Means Everything" by With Honor instead. Now I'm sure you're going to click the "not useful" button now since everybody seems to be in love with this boring band, who would not even be hardcore if the vocals weren't there. Lame.
On their way to the top of the hardcore heap April 27, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Modern Life Is War caused quite a splash in hardcore circles with their distinctive debut, "My Love. My Way.", a blend of hardcore attitude with post hardcore pacing and melodic riffing that burned at the touch with its sincere passion. This follow up album brings this same approach to bear with noticeably better production and a better overall energy level than the sometimes spotty debut.
Like their last record, this latest effort brings an intricate tightrope walk of furious hardcore and delicate, riff heavy softer passages popularized by post hardcore greats like Grade and Shai Hulud but infuses them with bigger melodies not unlike Hot Water Music. This distinct blend, combined with the urgent vocals, makes for many cathartic moments that would never be possible if they played straight hardcore but also means the energy in each song can shift into slower territory, never quite delivering the full punch a great hardcore song can do. Still, there are a million hardcore bands out there and there's nothing quite like Modern Life Is War.
While almost every song is solid there's only one truly drop dead standout, the scorching sing along "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.". Like their last record with the song "Clarity", this song is heads and tales above the others and shows, in ever so briefly a fashion, how it's not hard to see these guys becoming one of the biggest bands in hardcore if they stick it out. If they had an album full of songs that matched the energy of songs like these it wouldn't even be a contest. As it stands now, there's still quite a few numbers that, while still good, just don't stick with you like their very best songs do.
This band has a lot of promise considering they're really just kids and already have two great records under their belt. Their mature, sophisticated approach to the music belies their age and will certainly get only better with time. Only the future will tell if they break into the ranks of the truly great post hardcore/hardcore bands but they have everything in place to do so.
Check out more reviews at ohboydestroy.
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