Straight-up tough hardcore punk. There are songs about jocks, cops, bosses, the prison system, religion, drug and alcohol use, violence against women, and old punks. The lyrics are pretty simple and cut to the point quickly. What I also like is that the vocal delivery is clean and incredibly describable. For the most part, I could understand every screamed word without having to reference the lyric sheet. It’s angry street punk meets angry hardcore, so they all have plenty to be pissed about. Each song is rapid fire with a pummeling of drums, sludgy-heavy guitar with the occasional solo, and deep, scowling vocals. I’m with them on all counts (fuck violence against people of color, fuck cops, fuck soul-crushing jobs), besides the ageism track, “Mr. Punk Rock.” It’s the only song that changes their style and slows down to a ska beat with lots of upstrokes and a small bit of vocal distortion. Maybe it’s because these guys are still in their mid-to-late twenties, but I’m not into lyrics like “Pack it up, time to quit / your legacy doesn’t mean shit,” and talking about how they’ve seen the world but still hit on sixteen year old girls. I’d imagine they mean one person in particular, but don’t forget that old punks can give you perspective. Just as long as they haven’t gotten married, had babies, and quit the scene! These guys in FCON have a very clear line on where they stand on issues, and deliver it with aggression and passion. –Kayla Greet (Tiny Dragon Music)