86 Mentality “s/t” & “On the Loose” 7”s (2004, 2005)
These records are the exact opposite of the Hatred Surge record reviewed in the last post, in this sense: where the description of the Hatred Surge 7” trumped its actual existence as music, any such description of 86 Mentality undersells the band and is a thing apart from the experience of sitting down and listening to these records.
How to describe 86 Mentality? They sound like Iron Cross. They play not-especially-fast, not-especially-raw, kind of boneheaded hardcore. They don’t seem to be very clever fellows, and as for the more out-there influences of classic USHC (Void, Deep Wound, Die Kreuzen, Septic Death)—they are not to be found here. This is “meat and potatoes” hardcore.
OK, fine, there are hundreds of records that could meet this description. I’m sure many a terrible, terrible band has said to themselves, “Fuck trends! Fuck emo… let’s play back-to-basics hardcore!” There are always a lot of CD-only, vaguely oi-influenced, “long-running” hardcore bands in the pages of MRR, and THAT is the vibe you get from 86 Mentality. Sold on it yet?
But this is completely irrelevant to the actual records, which are… catchy. Fun. Nimble. Perhaps they will put this description on the cover of the discography CD, as a sticker. *”Sounds like Iron Cross…. Catchy. Fun. Nimble”—Punk Record Reviews.* Now, I don’t mean to suggest that there is anything ineffable or beyond-words about 86 Mentality, that this is some unreviewable noumenon. Hardly; it’s just that one has to review the records themselves, and not the intention or any “gotcha!” pretention of the presentation. (Which is also not to be found here. The presentation of these records is kind of corny, high contrast black and white stuff. Very uncool, not particularly interesting, but not distracting either.)
The band has 3 records, these are the first two. I’m glad they never put out an album or anything.
The self-titled seven inch opens with a great “Intro” in the Bold tradition, a short instrumental accompanied only by a barked “Rargh!” that leads into the first song, the very catchy “Life Trap.” Working with very simple riffs and tempos, 86 Mentality recall nothing so much as Discharge—or a group of dogs playing instruments—but of course without the crusty, leather-wearing implications thereof. The lyrics are pissed off but never “angsty” or anything that couldn’t have been taken from any 80s hardcore record—“get away from me” is about the extent of the emotions here. It’s nice to see basic frustration, basic anger, and generic hatred back in hardcore, as these are things I actually feel. I may personally wish that “hardcore guys” were less violent and smarter, but…
On the Loose, their second record, is—exactly the same. The songs jump out on first listen; the choruses are memorable; the band still knows only two speeds. Above all, they make it look easy. But of course being catchy, and making simple elements into interesting songs is anything but easy.
Both records have a “we’re crazy guys out on the town, we might start a fight” song—“Violent Nights” and “On the Loose,” that celebrates the basically primitive, feral nature of these (scary?) guys… but what can I say? It comes off as charming. The football chant of “On the Loose” particularly.
Songs that get stuck in your head. Basic human emotions. Why didn’t anyone think of this before?
[Recommended]
