Style 43

Girlfriends can fuck off. They make you miserable and make you worry about things and you end up letting your mates down. To help me sort out my heart based problems, I’ve been listening to the new Deal With It record, End Time Prophecies. Trust me, you can definitely judge a book by its cover when the legendary Edward Repka is the artist.

I got Mike (dude who sings and does official moshing) to explain it to me, and it’s essentially a lizard who is standing in front of an archway which contains a vision of the future, people getting smazzed to nothing by illuminati triangles. Shit is deep. A lot of the album is about this type of negative aspect of society, the album actually has a theme. Their first record, World Coming Down, is as tough as Justice Tripp (google it) and definitely one of my favourite hardcore releases of recent years. WCD helped Deal With It secure their place as a hard band and once you hear End Time Prophecies, you can track their progression towards a much more thrashy sound.

The highlight for me is the fact that Mike sings. A lot. But it’s absolutely amazing that they’ve managed to put out a stonking record, get faster and had the guts to get singing in there too. Personally, I think it is a strong look and has paid dividends. Too many bands allow themselves to be pigeon holed or gain success from one type of music and so stick to it and never expand. Plus within hardcore there are so many people who think their strict and incredibly narrow minded opinions are right, and everyone else can fuck off. They tend to be the same people who don’t ever, ever mosh but stand their with folded arms wearing their ‘I’m a critic‘ expression. Justice’s Escapades record got a slating, but it’s a belter. Somehow I don’t think Deal With It are going to get any stick about End Time Prophecies because it’s so good and it’s still hard.

Streets of Rage II has an intro which is straight out of an 80’s power ballad, and then suddenly pow! You’ve taken a windmill to the tits and you’ve dropped your irn bru. Atlas Shrugged has some of the best singing on the record. Too many shredding solos and the like to name or keep tabs on.

I am well tired so this may not be super coherent. Basically, Deal With It have done a fucking awesome thrash record with the best cover art you’re likely to see from a hardcore band in a while. It grows on me more each time, I could write lines and lines of praise because I really like them as a band and Mike is such a king. You know where to find this shit? Either here for a little try before you buy, and then to buy both records, some shirts and pre order the Dirty Money/Trapped Under Ice split 7″.

Heed my Words!