Some Kind Of Hate Undisputed

In the last three or four years, Bridge Nine Records' creative output has been virtually unmatched by any other hardcore label. Terrific releases from bands like Terror, Give Up The Ghost, No Warning and Panic have overshadowed some of the other records that they have put out. The most tragically overlooked, in my opinion, was the self-titled debut EP from Boston's Some Kind Of Hate, but with the release of their follow-up full-length "Undisputed," they can't possibly stay under-appreciated for much longer. Helmed by booking agent extraordinaire Matt Pike and featuring members of Panic, Embrace Today and Get Down, it doesn't seem possible that they could be anything but good. Comprised of twelve incredibly angry old-school hardcore anthems,"Undisputed" makes good on the immense promise that this band has displayed since their initial demo tape. It might not seem that revolutionary or even particularly interesting for a band to play fast, angry hardcore, and I suppose on most levels it isn't. What sets Some Kind Of Hate and this record apart from the rest is that they haven't watered it down or polished it up. I love old Sick Of It All and Slapshot records because they are the true musical equivalent to a punch in the face. "Undisputed" is a throwback of sorts to the time when hardcore had less to do with subtlety and scene politics than punk rock rage. Songs like "Fuck These People," "Who's Next" and "Watch Them Fall" aren't about girl trouble or coping with the death of a loved one. This record is the soundtrack to a beatdown, without falling into the rut of constant breakdowns and chugging that many bands with similar attitudes do. One of the things that I particularly enjoyed about this record is that I could hear the punk and oi influence in pretty much every song. The angry skinhead on the cover is a reminder of the connection between hardcore and punk rock that bands like Agnostic Front and Sick Of It All have always embraced. Some Kind Of Hate definitely blurs the line of what defines a band as "hardcore." I could just as easily listen to them alongside the Promise or Terror as the Bruisers or the Trouble. It's not necessarily genre-defying, but it is a noteworthy acknowledgment of one's musical roots. Bottom Line: I love this record; not for its contribution to music history or its outstanding originality, but for its uncompromising anger and ferocity. At just over fifteen minutes, "Undisputed" may leave some feeling like they haven't gotten their money's worth. My solution is to put it on repeat.