Cro-Mags – In The Beginning – Mission Two Entertainment
The Cro- Mags return on ‘In The Beginning‘. Firstly, it feels like a fresh start for this band who has had quite a good run and carved their initials into hardcore history. Despite the challenges over different line ups and legalities founding member Harley Flanagan charges onward.
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The short of it. Cro- Mags ‘In The Beginning‘ is very good overall. Harley Flanagan on bass and vocals. Solid treble, guitar fills, mosh parts , and breakdowns. Booming drums. Intense , un relenting , savage , and reflective of the hardness and reality of old school NYC and NY Hardcore.
In The Beginning is so intense it may be too long. However, the instrumental ‘Between Wars‘ is welcome change. I ‘d like to hear Harley and the gang stretch out musically more. The good news is I heard on Drew Stone’s New York Hardcore Chronicles podcast that he is probably doing just that and that there could be even another forthcoming release. I’ll jam to this LP and just wait and see.
Here’s the longer review … track by track . Also you may want to pull record up here. https://orcd.co/cromagsitb
‘Don’t Give In‘. Opens with a very ‘Age Of Quarrel – We Got To Know‘ vibe. I don’t know of any red blooded mag fans that would be complaining about that. This track is simply a more mature version with heavier emphasis on mini solos or quick guitar noodling fills.
On ‘In The Beginning‘ riffs are clean enough to show ability but raw enough to sound like they belong in Cro Mags and Agnostic Front’s Cause For Alarm hardcore realm.
I reckon this one is tuned down half a step which lends a nod to Slayer who use that tuning for extra heaviness . ‘Drag You Under‘. Returning to the thrash roots. Tempo and feel remind me of Show You No Mercy from Age of Quarrel ( A.O.Q. )
Slowing down for ‘No One’s Victim‘ for about 20 seconds you get a chance to catch your breath and mosh slower, but harder.
Then it kicks in and you’re going fast again. As my friends would say , “You’re moshin.”
If you are not fit this is where you take a break before your old man – ness gets the best of you, if you are fit … you’re goin off.
Next ‘No One’s Coming‘ opens with classic Harley bass chugs, love it. Once again referencing ‘Age of Quarrel – Show You No Mercy’ with the intro and then launching into modern times. Mosh part and solo really shines and the vocals are in anthemic DIY save yourself territory.
After that you get even more opportunity to get low and mosh some people from the pit to the perimeter or back to the flyer covered wall.
‘PTSD‘ and ‘One Bad Decision ‘ contains a mosh part very similar to ‘World Peace’ that fans should revel in its cadence and tempo. ‘Between Wars‘ feels like a lament over the horror of warfare. Instrumentally reflective and introspective, a psychological profile of any random soldier that survives and then is called back to duty
Next and almost at the end ‘No Turning Back’ goes back to the intensity. Harley croons in a way that reminisces of fallen friend and hardcore veteran Pete Steele of Type O Negative/ Carnivore. The call and response of the title is barked like a general leading an impossible charge into battle and the troops answering verbatim.
Finally the last track, ‘ There Was A Time’ looks back on the Harley’s past as if he is looking at himself and how far the music journey has come. This track is fast, aggressive and a good way to close out In the Beginning. This LP has the new flavor of the Cro-Mags infused and matured with the past sounds as if aged in an oak barrel until the songs are smooth but still high in adrenal content.
There is quite a bit A.O.Q. but also you can hear references to Best Wishes, and Alpha Omega. I hear less diversity than Alpha Omega. On that record, ‘Eyes of Tomorrow’ shows a mixing of hip hop influence. The ‘Untitled Track’ feels like Cro-Mags venturing out the hardcore cave and exploring tonality but only for less than a minute and half. Conversely , In the Beginning is more direct, to the point than Alpha Omega. This is not a problem for me per se.
Cro- Mags In The Beginning is definitely hardcore , yet I am curious to hear this band really push the bounds further. I’ll let the purists argue all that out.
The track ‘Two Hours‘ which features some spoken word and excerpts of a phone call is unflinchingly from the hardest concrete in the boroughs. Therefore this record is street hardened and tough.
Cro- Mags In The Beginning brings the hardcore that fans have expected yet I am very antsy to hear any thing Harley is going to do with maybe some Krishna / Eastern music (if anything) or maybe take a slight departure from NY hardcore. I know he’s got some tricks in a hat somewhere. Will he use them? I think we’ll know soon enough.
