108
A New Beat From A Dead Heart


4.0
excellent

Review

by Iluvatar USER (168 Reviews)
November 17th, 2007 | 20 replies


Release Date: 2007 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Remember those crazy-ass Krishna people you met at the bus station? Yeah, those guys can make a killer hardcore album.

I was around 7 years old when 108 released their “last” album, Threefold Misery. A lot has happened since 1996, both in the hardcore scene and out. It’s blown up in recent years, despite the fact that most of the old mainstays either crapped out or turned into lame nu-metal/hardcore bull***. Apparently, the world has also changed quite a bit, with consumerism and selfishness rising along with the election of one George W. Bush. So, what are 108 to do after they meet up for a reunion show and decide “Hey, we should make good music again”? Make easily their best record to date, A New Beat From a Dead Heart, after an 11 year layoff.

Being the quintessential Krishna-core band, its probably a good thing they have laid off the “You shall forever rot in hell for being a regular person” motif they had throughout their previous records and instead gone to a more general stance on things. Slightly more optimistic (not saying much), the message is as strong as ever with lyrics like “are you looking for a war to win or are you looking for change?” and “Sinful minds bring a handicapped existence so much for being free. So much for being me”.

Due in part to Kurt Ballou’s fantastic production, and general maturation of the band, 108 sound far more full and tight than ever before. Instead of being loosely tied together, the whole band is a cohesive unit, with the angular guitar riffs accentuated by a fantastic rhythm section that gives each song its own identity. A combination of early 90s hardcore and post hardcore, 108 generally deliver exciting songs filled to the brim with passion, ranging from the spoken word (“The Sad Truth”) to the building aggression of “We Walk Through Walls” (which starts off heavily Fugazi like, then meets the heavyness of Neurosis somewhere down the road) to the outright pissed off in “Angel Strike Man”.

A New Beat From a Dead Heart is an apt album title for 108. It’s the rebirth of 108, and its band just as angry as they ever were, but now know how to express themselves fully. It hasn’t sold out the religious roots and overtures they always used to have, but its also built upon and modernized those motifs tremendously, while making almost experimental hardcore to accompany it. Count it among the best records to be released this year perhaps, and make its addition to your collection a necessity.



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user ratings (49)
3.8
excellent


Comments:Add a Comment 
tuff
November 18th 2007


62 Comments


Songs of Separation is an awesome album. I need to get both this and Threefold Misery.

SubtleDagger
November 18th 2007


737 Comments


Instead of being a loosely tied together,
missing a word
It’s the rebirth of 108, and its band just as angry as they ever were but now know how to express it fully.
needs to be reworded entirely

also review is really short and doesn't say much

the styx review needs proofreading too but I was more concerned with how annoying styx isThis Message Edited On 11.17.07

SubtleDagger
November 18th 2007


737 Comments


the shipwreck a.d. review is actually not much longer and is about ten times more descriptive

Let's Chop Cats!
November 18th 2007


142 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Best song is Martyr Complex.

Zebra
Moderator
November 18th 2007


2647 Comments


I think that this is the perfect length for a review. I might even check this out since Kurt Ballou is the man.

Confessed2005
November 18th 2007


6024 Comments


Ballou is mega talented at a lot of things.

Yyy
November 18th 2007


289 Comments


i bet he isn't as good as ilu at sucking dick

Yyy
November 18th 2007


289 Comments


[right]oOoOooOooOOoooOoOoo![/right]

santi3hg
November 21st 2007


440 Comments


I'm willing to bet Kurt may have helped in writing with some of the guitar in the record. >.>

Let's Chop Cats!
November 22nd 2007


142 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Nah I doubt that. Vic is a machine, dude has played in a ton of bands and written a shit load of awesome songs.

santi3hg
November 22nd 2007


440 Comments


Vic is fucking insane, thats for sure and I mean in person. He is crazy.

br3ad_man
December 22nd 2007


2126 Comments


Just checked out the songs on myspace and they're unreal. I'll order this once I get some more money.

Also Kurt is easily the least ugly member of Converge.

Essence
August 31st 2009


6739 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This album slays so hard.

Transient
November 29th 2009


1520 Comments


i thought this was an '09 release, fuck

ameypv
December 17th 2009


808 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

great album,good review. the fact that Ballou has produced this shit makes it more interesting

Transient
March 23rd 2010


1520 Comments


band just broke up D:

new album in april will be their last, shame

accompliceofmydeath
June 18th 2010


4921 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Finally picked this up. It's rockin' my shit so hard. *imagines his poop being cradled roughly*

accompliceofmydeath
July 13th 2010


4921 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

^that's still happening a month later.

accompliceofmydeath
December 27th 2010


4921 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Three Hundred Liars sounds like a Converge song I think, but I don't know which one. halp



EDIT: nvm, I figured it out. It sounds like Baphomet by Quicksand. Now you can all rest easy.

hxciluvatarhxc
May 18th 2020


584 Comments


this review is objectively terrible but this set is unreal. https://youtu.be/QHxjMrTfqM4



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