Verse "Aggression"

There's a slight chance that, in the midst of a deep sleep and a vivid dream of my ideal, 2008 hardcore record, I sleep-wrote (analogous to the more common sleep-walk) a touching, handwritten letter and addressed it to Verse. There's a slight chance that, in said letter, I asked them to write an album full of passionate, socio-political messages and melodic, ebbing-and-flowing songs, and influences ranging from Modern Life Is War to Have Heart. There's a slight chance I did it in such moving fashion that the band felt obligated to come through.

Okay, I'm retarded. There's no chance that happened. But what should I think when I hear a record that's got just about everything I could want, in just the right quantities?

While I liked Verse's first two full lengths, Aggression stands out as something special for having a musical approach that is just as significant and urgent as the strong lyrics. There are, of course, bursts of the traditional -- blazingly fast drumming, brisk chord progressions and in-your-face shouting -- but most of the songs go beyond that, to near-epic proportions. Explosive, poignant climaxes dot the album's length, and intricate melodies, heavy-handed drumming and mammoth heaviness fill the gaps. While countless bands have attempted this tense, climactic breed of hardcore since Modern Life Is War blew it up a few years back, Verse is one of the select few that has fully realized its potential for chilling, humbling results.

Aggression is sonic bliss, but I'd be remiss to gloss over the lyrics. Singer Sean Murphy brings a whole lot of depth to the record, and it takes center stage in the three-chapter (and three-track) "Story of a Free Man." Telling the tale of a boy whose father was killed at war, the three songs are both personal and political; they personify the stateside horrors of war and the death grip of addiction through a well spoken narrative. Murphy attacks in other songs the morality of our current administration, the justice system, war mongering, and the shallow Hollywood-driven media. Yet, he's still got plenty of hope:

"I could be destined to fade away like so many before me. But as long as my heart keeps beating. I still can't stop screaming. Silence -- is violence. I'm bending. I'm breaking. I'm broken. I'm still alive."

Aggression is worthy of all the praise I've got in me. I'm proud to love this stuff. From the musical arrangements to the heartfelt lyrics, Verse has poured themselves into their 12 newest songs, and you simply cannot say the same about most everything else out there.

Yes, yes, yes: Verse - The New Fury

Get it here. It's worth the money.