A good twenty-four years ago or so, Megadeth said, “Peace Sells... But Who’s Buying?” I guess times have changed... Politically-minded straight edge hardcore here. These Hands Are Fists stick close to the sound of bands like Chain Of Strength, Inside Out, and the rest. Chunky guitars, burly drums, and a clean recording. The songs are semi-speedy with a melodic edge and breakdowns galore. They tackle body image, exploitation of the indigenous people, animal rights, etcetera. It’s pretty apparent these guys believe in what they’re doing and they have their hearts and minds in the right place. I just think they might want to be a little pickier about what they record in the future. Let some songs die in the practice room. For instance, the song “Compassion Fills the Void on Your Plate” is beyond bad. The singy vocals are atrocious and the delivery is overdramatic. The sound bites in between songs are corny and detract from any momentum generated by the music. If they’d cut to the chase and go from song to song, these guys would rage. This isn’t a bad disc, but it could use a little editing.
–M.Avrg (Refuse, refuserecords.prv.pl)