Young Turks – Where I Rise

Where I Rise starts fast and blazes through a short 4 tracks in short order. Luckily for listeners, the songs warrant repeated listening, so the brevity of the release is countered by quality. The EP fires up with a fast and angry hardcore track, Territo(royally) Pissed, which comes off as a successful blend of Comeback Kid and Hatebreed, complete with gang vocals. In Zone K, they provide a short blast of positive hardcore, with chugging guitars and the affirming chant of “be true to you, in every fucking thing you do.” The first three tracks all come from the same branch of the hardcore scene. It is a modern blend of new ideas and traditional musical styling. They slow things down slightly on the driving Old Gods, machine gun riffs and angry vocals pushing the song along towards an abrupt finish, adding a bit of metal influence to their sound. The music reflects the cover art of Where I Rise, a counterpoint to the raw anger that pervaded their previous releases. While the music is still angry at heart, there is a definite ray of hope which shines through, crossing the line from Frank Carter’s Gallows style cynicism into a more positive outlook. Lyrically, they have hit bottom and have begun the first steps in the long ascent to personal happiness. Ghosts of hard times haunt the album, but the band passionately do their best to exorcise their demons through their music. 

Young Turks push the boundaries of the hardcore genre a little bit, while still providing enough touchstones for old school fans to connect. This is a worthwhile release for positive hardcore fans, but the short length is a little bit frustrating. Just about the time you become fully invested in the songs, it stops; furious musical blasts ending in sudden silence. The songs suggest that they were created with live shows in mind. They contain a whirlwind of energy that hits hard and is over before the listener can catch their breath. The release showcases a relatively new band who sounds like they are at the top of their game, but like all successful EPs, it leaves you eager for more.