I am not into metalcore. Most of the current bands sound so boring to me. They try to play so tough and brutal music without having the intensity of bands like Converge or Botch or the brutality of Coalesce. Generally the result is just some monotonous noise – often played by fierce looking kids with no punkrock background.

Surprisingly As Hope Dies are an exception! I don't know where their roots are but they know how to play their instruments. The result is a really powerful sound with some melodic guitars and negative lyrics. Five songs in 18 minutes with topics of scars, hatred, blood and lost hope.

Guess it´s pretty good – but it´s still metalcore! And I am not into stuff like that! The only metalcore record that I own is the classic „Firestorm“ 7“ by Earth Crisis. I won it at a tombola in a record store some years ago – I didn't buy it! But it just bores me – maybe because of the missing lyric sheet?!

Well, the sun is shining, I am in a pretty good mood and try to relax. But in the background there is someone screaming about all the negative aspects of life. Right now, I don't wanna hear it! I feel like I should sit down in my car and go to the beach. I will open the window and listen to the real O.C.-sound: Social Distortion.  [benni]

www.myspace.com/ashopedies