Righteous Jams – Rage of Discipline

Righteous Jams – Rage of Discipline / 2005 Broken Sounds / 10 Tracks / http://www.righteousjams.com / http://www.brokensounds.com / Reviewed 07 April 2005

Wow, this is old-school hardcore at its best. A mixture of Minor Threat, D.R.I., and M.O.D., Righteous Jams make a simplistic guitar line and drum accompaniment into some of the most compelling hardcore of the last ten years. 13 minutes of music gives up nine songs, and to be honest, “Rage of Discipline” and “Iron Mind” mesh together well enough that I had no clue when the first ended and the second began. The intensity of the guitar on a track like “Green Eyes” really brings the intensity of this disc up, as well as shows me that this band is not a one-trick pony, as skilled in Joey’s vocals as in Paul and Elgin’s guitars on the disc. S.F.A. and Agnostic Front come through as well during “Rage of Discipline”, both screaming from the sidelines as the sub-minute “Bust It” blasts through. The screamed out “No Glory”, using guitar riffs lifted from some of the greatest seventies rock bands makes for strange bedfellows, but the angst and brooding on the track really gives the track a new dimension.

What is surprising about “Rage of Discipline” is that the album sounds much longer than its 13 minute run-time would indicate. The intensity with which Righteous Jams imbues each track makes the average listener focus in intently to the music being played, to the detriment of anything that is going on around them. Thus, what is only 13 minutes sounds to be nearly forty as the band comes through during each song with some of the most innovative and awe-inspiring arrangements ever put on disc. The mastering on this disc is perfect, simultaneously ensuring that the compression so commonly heard on the guitars and vocals during a number of these albums is gone but not going so far as to make the sound sound hollow.

This album is already 8 months old (Kung Fu is re-releasing it in mid-April), but the music contained within is timeless and succinct – played with a burning intensity, one would almost think that the world is falling around the band as they are playing these songs. A mixture of elements both old and new, Righteous Jams have everything right. I have one question for them though; if 9 songs is an EP, will a full length top out at over 20 tracks? Regardless, I want to hear more from this Boston band.

Top Tracks: Small Fish, Green Eyes

Rating: 8.1/10