If you saw me walking down the street, you probably wouldn’t think that I listen to this kind of music, but every now and then, you need a little bit of beltsander crust punk to sort of cleanse the palate, and State of Fear did it better than pretty much anyone else. With the exception of the recent rash of Portland-by-way-of-Memphis bands like From Ashes Rise and Tragedy, State of Fear is probably the best American band to ever attempt this type of thing. Lyrically and musically, it’s not subtle in the least, but it’s such vital and earnest stuff that I’d recommend it to anyone who’s musical taste ever veers off into the D-beat end of the punk spectrum.
–josh (Profane Existence)