Thieves and Assassins "Martyr Brigade"

Much like an endless stream of sex-goddesses gleefully entering into the hardcore manifestation of male fantasy, my ideal world will never see too many superlative, conscientious melodic hardcore bands.

Residing near Strike Anywhere thematically, and coupling their Long Island roots with Pulley's smooth melodicism and Smoke or Fire's rabid aural assault, Thieves and Assassins might be criticized by conservative parties for encouraging discontent, manic fist-pumping and neck-snapping headbang-action. Martyr Brigade is, musically, pretty much a great album. A rarity, the album's lyrics bolster the band's ascendence of the hardcore hierarchy. Few songs, for instance, resonate like "Sink or Swim," a heartbreaking ode rueing ever-widening social stratification. It's a refreshing dose of condemnation (versus misplaced blame) addressing the overwhelming social forces that stamp the truly impoverished further downward.

There's an authentic working class feel to this album, rough but beautiful, buttressed by the faded album insert and appropriately anti-audiophile recording quality. Which is to say the album sounds fantastic, a fat bass sound and dual guitar crunch reinforced by powerful, omnipresent percussion. A vocal talent who would be acknowledged by fans of any genre is an unexpected treat.

Quality, um, melodi-thought-core has a refrain that should never fade, even though that new genre name definitely should.

For full effect find a lyric sheet. Thieves and Assassins - "Sink or Swim"

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