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I had always thought of All Out War as an average metal/hardcore band in the past. Their music was really heavy, the breakdowns were exceedingly tough and the musical outing was decent, but missing was anything that engrossed me as a listener. With "Condemned To Suffer," though, All Out War seems to have turned me into a fan, and a less-shoddy recording quality and additional bits of metallic glory was a big factor in doing so.
All Out War reflects their name really well. Through their lyrics and utterly brutal musical approach, this band wages war against common thinking and mainstream culture. A healthy portion of their songs are driven by socio-political lyrics, many based on such topics as religion ("Two Thousand Years"), global violence ("Straight Towards Extinction") and even something as horrid and serious as the thought of ethnic cleansing ("Bleeding The Weak"). All Out War has a cynical view of the world as a whole and, while I'd be hard pressed to say that "Condemned To Suffer" puts me in a good mood, what they say is honest and worth reading into. All Out War isn't going to solve major problems, but at least they're getting their listeners to think, which is an important and respectable step toward any sort of change.
All Out War is heavily opinionated, and their music does nothing but strengthen the value of the message. I can't say that I've never heard anything like "Condemned To Suffer," and the record's music isn't mind-challenging by any means. It is, however, highly effective. With an exterior just as tough as Sworn Enemy's, a metallic quality not too unlike that of Slayer, and a gritty NYHC flare, All Out War is obviously not for the weak. This stuff is loaded with chugging guitar riffs, endless double bass kicking, and blazing, metallic parts. The band even throws in some tasteful solos which were unexpected, but All Out War is, in the end, just plain punishing.
This is the sort of thing that most everyone used to expect from Victory Records. Although they're not neccesarrily the most original band out there, All Out War has still put out a commendable album that is a perfect fit for fans of bands like Sworn Enemy, Hatebreed, Slayer and the Cro-Mags. Check it out.
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