CD review, Aug 09. The Killer - Not All Who Are Lost... Want To Be Found (Organized Crime Records)

I’m gonna skip the minefield that is the ‘what is hardcore?’ question here and just thank Thor that the one thing this isn’t, is Metalcore. What it is, musically speaking, is a damn heavy collection of old skool, so says the bio, Merauder and Integrity influenced Chicago Hardcore. And I can’t argue with that. I’m trying to shy away from comparisons to early Crowbar (the vocals) and any number of genres that maintain a healthy dose of chug-riffing, rolling arrangements and heavy breakdowns. This album is uncompromising and yet very musically interesting and varied. Quite a feat I think and not something I have really encountered in this genre before. While I find the vocals a little one dimensional on early listens, the vibe and force of the attack steamrollers over any reservations. The Killer know exactly what they’re doing and don’t need gimmicks or cheapshots to achieve it. This is the real shit and if I saw this band live, I have a feeling my jaw would be on the floor. Check ‘em out online and maybe discover your new favourite Hardcore band.