True at All Costs

The press release for the debut LP from XRepresentX states that there is 'no bullshit involved with this band.' And after hearing 2006's True at All Costs, it's hard to argue with that statement. No frills hardcore -- with a straight-edge message -- is the name of the game here for this Erie, PA outfit. Listing such groups as Buried Alive, Ringworm, and Earth Crisis as their main influences, XRepresentX carries on the hardcore tradition proudly. The song remains the same, though, with drill instructor vocals, and tempos/riffs that alternate between moshpit fury and slow burn rage -- as heard on such standouts as 'Marked' and 'One Chance.' Nothing new or exactly groundbreaking here, but for admirers of good, old-fashioned hardcore, XRepresentX's True at All Costs certainly hits the spot.