AFTER THE FALL – Fort Orange

Coming in from the state capital of New York, these three guys play an amped-up, passionate, fast style of hardcore punk that is danged decent. They incorporate highlights of other solid melodic hardcore bands: some Kid Dynamite speed, chords, and phrasing, some Propagandhi/NOFX harmonies, some Strike Anywhere barking — it works well together. Thirteen tracks that cover a range of socio-political and personal topics (as if you’d be singin’ about your favorite jeans or pet toads in this genre. Well, actually, I’ve heard some real crap recently. Anyway, I digress.). And lyrically they don’t bog it down with poetic license or way-the-fuck-out-there metaphors. Just here it is — bang! — simple and understandable. A solid release.

(Raise Your Fist Records, 571 St. John Rd., Afton, NY 13730)