Hmmm hardcore, I’m not usually one for stereotyping... but all this shit really gets monotonous after about 5 minutes. I borrowed a few Madball CDs from a friend a while ago and I found it just teetering on the edge of boring. Nothing stood out, the riffs are recycled like there’s no tomorrow and the vocals are always the backing vocals just shouting out what the lead sang not two seconds ago. So, just to try and prove myself wrong, I decided to review the latest from Vancouver’s Burden. Alas dear readers, I’m right again.

Not ten seconds into the album and I’m already hearing yesterday’s riffs (I say yesterday, I really mean ten years ago) that Biohazard conjured up on Urban Discipline and suchlike. It took me 3 hours to force myself to completely listen to this five track album that lasts not even fifteen minutes! It’s just that it has this ‘music in the background’ feel to it that does everything but keep your attention.

Maybe afraid to rear its ugly head for fear of being exposed for the tame repetitive facade that it is? Who knows? I’m just thankful this album is kept to 5 tracks. Can you imagine the pool of drool caused by sleeping at my office desk if it were any longer?

Maybe these guys should take a leaf out of Shai Hulud’s book. I can see strong hardcore roots in their music but not for a minute is it boring or got that ‘didn’t I hear this before?’ feeling to it. The Burden boys had better do something different before they get arrested for copyright infringement!