DISTORT

Side By Side - ‘Backfire’

Pure hardcore riffing from the most consistent band of the late 80’s Revelation scene. The guitar has a dark, menace, characteristic of late NY, borrowing from metal without becoming crossover. But the attraction and strength of the band is in those vocals, rage expressed without hysterical shrieking or cartoonish growling, there’s a measured and balanced sneering confidence in “you’re a dis-eeeeeeease” that even Ray Cappo couldn’t top, an implied relaxed familiarity with violence, threatening those who are “hating life” without knowing what it’s about, suckers for whom life is “based on hate”.

If everyone inclined toward the nihilistic solipsism that characterises our age were in an environment where sentiments like those in ‘Backfire’ were expressed commonly, their life would be richer in experience, they’d acquire a sense of fragility and an understanding of a reality outside of their own internal monologue. And these YOYOs bounce their head of the curb outside CBGB’s. They would fall hard, but they’d endure it. ‘Backfire’ is a song that expresses some grit. YOLO?