Hailing from Orange County, CA, Throwdown have been doing it since 1997, whipping Pantera-like riffs together with breakdowns in the spirit of Shai Hulud, ultimately burning a hole into the metalcore scene that eclipses everything in it's wake. Haymaker smacks of frontman Dave Peters' visceral screams, while the band-guitarist Keith Barney and Tommy Love and the bassist Dom Macaluso (as well as former drummer Aaron Flora on the album)-have their finger on the pulse of hostility and education in old school hardcore. Throwdown's stylistic sharp turns and rumbling tempos make anger exciting again, and are sure to make a fitting addition to this summer's OZZfest.

The latest release from Orange County's ultra heavy hardcore killers Throwdown sees frontman Dave Peters stepping up to the plate for a far more brutal and ugly slice of tough guy hardcore than we've been blessed with recently. This is hardcore meant for men who like to party in the pit with their elbows in your face! Openers 'Never Back Down' and 'Walk Away' are straight out of the Henry Rollins school of benched up hatred. Peters is EXACTLY like ol' Hank at his most misanthropic and devotees can raise a brewski in the moshpit to the re-recorded version of 'Raise your Fist'. Haymaker's lyrical content is more uplifting that the negative connotations of the song titles, grinding riffs and pounding rhythms would suggest. Out of '03's glut of hardcore, 'Haymaker' is at the front of the pack!

Some bands make you want to mosh. Some bands Beg you to mosh. And then, some bands hold a gun To your head and demand that you mosh until you Throw up all over your sweat-soaked HATEBREED Hoodie. THROWDOWN defines the latter. The words "crushing" and "brutal" have bandied about the review page of every hardcore zine for years now, but never before have they been so appropriate as they are here, in regards to these OC boys' latest release of moshalicious anthems. Drenched in edge pride, this album is as close as you'll Get to the almighty HATEBREED without actually listening To the Connecticut legends. This album is essential for every Man, woman, and child who fancy themselves a "hardcore kid". While the constant mention of edge may alienate non-edge Listeners, the power of the release cannot be denied and you have No choice but to appreciate the brutality and purity of this record. Hardcore at it's most pummeling.

Metalcore mixes hardcore punk with a strong metal influence. It's brutal, punishing and sometimes difficult to listen to. Then along comes Orange County's Throwdown to change all that. Their latest offering, Haymaker, is brutal and punishing, yes, but it was actually enjoyable to listen to. Screams galore in the vein of Phil Anselmo, tight, precise musicianship, and an overall "Fuck-You" attitude litter this mosh-pit marauding album. After listening to this CD, i was mad, angry, and wanted to hurt somebody. The intensity level is great, and i had to take a break from listenig to it just to calm down. It's heavy, intense, fun, angry, energetic, pounding, angry, exciting, moving...did i mention angry?

Ladies and Gentlemen, Throwdown have just released the heaviest record of the new millennium. Haymaker without a doubt is the heaviest record to hit the streets in the last ten years, and is by far Throwdown's best work to date. Every single song on this record is obscenely heavy. The production is super-slick, there are plenty of sing-alongs. Fuck, it almost brings a tear to my eye. This has everything that a good moshy hardcore record needs to have. All fourteen songs are stellar, which makes Haymaker one of the first records without shitty filler songs that I've heard in a long, long time. Moving Keith Barney to guitar and Dave Peters up to vocals was the best move Throwdown could have made for themselves. Nothing against Keith Barney, he was an awesome singer, but Dave's voice and vocal style has really taken the band into uncharted territory. Lyrically, Throwdown is still striving to keep things positive and uplifting, but Peters delivers them with ferocity that is definitely absent from Throwdown's previous work. I don't know if it gets much better than this. Get into it.

One of the heaviest acts to ever grace the Trustkill roster, Throwdown are a bludgeoning, powerhouse machine of aggression that rolls with such speed and momentum that in the right environment, they'd be unstoppable. Some will say that shades of Hatebreed are rather apparent, but Throwdown ditches the copycat syndrome by bringing in an intense metallic vibe with their guitar tones and the commanding vocal cries of singer Dave Peters. Haymaker delivers a solid jab to the jaw.

Throwdown's "Haymaker is easily comparable to Hatebreed's "Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire". Not only is this album in your face nature but it's also absolutely brutal in it's attack and delivery. Dave Peters throat is fierce and commanding over the coarse of "Haymaker" and its 14 songs. There are times, like the beginning of the song 'Nothing Left', where Dave's voice will send chills up your spine. The whole "Metalcore" scene has seen more than its fair share of bandwagon jumpers in the past couple years but its still nice to see a band come out and completely destroy everything. Other bands should use this album as a guideline to see how you can create truly great hardcore. Throwdown's "Haymaker" is just that, a complete lesson in aggression that will leave you feeling like you've just gotten a right hand to the head.

If for a moment you can place this statement out of previous-band context, it's something I'd never thought I'd see on a Throwdown press sheet: "featuring guest vocals by Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory." Anyway, Throwdown return for thier third full-length, first for Trustkill, and "Haymaker" is just a beast of a release. While the band pulls no tricks (though I'm sure, unleashes a bevy of punches) on here, they pretty much give way to prior hopes and expectations, and the status quo appears to be continued. The absolutely gigantic production on here gives this band a sound of professionalism that they have always seemed to lack. Although their last disc, "You Don't Have To Be Blood To Be Family" was hardly a juvenile sounding release in terms of recording quality, "Haymaker" just races up the measuring stick in determining what a "big sound" means. As for the release itself, among the 14 tracks Throwdown alternative often between the screamingly fast crushers and the more typical mid-paced metalcore beatdowns. As always, regardless of how heavy the band sounds, the reckless positive energy flows from start to finish on. Even through all of the spitted out verses and ganglion-grabbing growls, this disc is one of the few that can make you smile why mentally tearing down your enemies in the most grotesque manner. As Throwdown have been lacking a drummer for quite some time, the band enlisted the most skilled Jarrod Alexander (Death By Stereo) for the recording of this release disc. Like everything this guy seems to touch, his monstrous playing gives these guys the power of a roaring firetruck, romping through an intersection on an open road. And although plenty of the band's mosh parts, and guitar chuggs sound like they came from the recycle bin, "Haymaker" never bores as a result of the tremendous intensity splashed about. While some bands succumb to the cliched frality of a particular genre, Throwdown, along with Hatebreed have pretty much become benchmarks for all to compete against. Although it's arguably insulting to call "Haymaker" mindless fun, the engaging nature of Throwdown's songwriting practically encourages this designation. Afterall, the sticker on the jewel case reads "get the record, learn the words, head out to the show and get yourself in the family." Sounds about right.

Normally I would have ripped this CD apart cause toughguy hardcore is not my thing, but I must have been a little to heavy on the testosterone the day I heard it 'cause I loved it. It's tough as hell, it's pissed off, it's the perfect soundtrack for a violent act that I can not condone you doing. I do wish it was a little faster, but that's the metal guy in me. If you like the Hatebreed kind of rock you probably already listen to these guys 'cause there are not many bands that do that genre justice and these guys are one of them.

Since bursting on to the Orange County scene with a pair of boxing gloves and socking hardcore one hefty punch to the jaw in 97, Throwdown have been building up quite a family on both sides of the Atlantic. A couple of albums on Indecision and a few line-up changes later these bruisers (who host ex-Eighteen Visions members amongst their ranks) have released their Trustkill debut - and what a brutal piece of work it is! With Dave Peters now handling vocal duties (he switched places with Keith Barney who now provides the shredding axe-work) Throwdown go for a relentless sonic bludgeoning and from the pound of skins and the hefty, ham-fisted riffing you know that these boys are here to do some damage. There's the vicious reworking of 'Face The Mirror' (previously available only on limited edition EP), the bitter blow of 'Hopeless' and the savage 'Declare Your War' where guitars are handled like heavy artillery and gang-style chorus vocals put paid to the maxim 'words will never hurt you'. They really come into their harsh own with the metallic peel and uncompromising chug of 'Raise Your Fist', set to become an anthem for brothers and sisters everywhere. Not one to be tossed aside.

Through their past two full-lengths, Throwdown have established themselves as one of the premier hardcore acts going around, and now with their new album and debut for Trustkill, 'Haymaker', these Orange County natives are set to make an even bigger impact with their unrelenting take on "tough-guy" hardcore. Though probably not as proficient as a Hatebreed, Throwdown ensure that no punches are pulled with 'Haymaker', and with a "bigger" label backing them, have a thick and professional-sounding production that has allowed them to finally meet their potential with a level of heaviness unmatched by previous outings. While not the most diverse band on the planet, Throwdown keep enough variation to keep the listener interested; mostly interchanging between fast-paced hardcore and slower, crunchier metalcore. Previous efforts have seen the use of melodic singing and spoken word; but not here. Dave Peters sticks to a vicious growl throughout the album's length, and while guest appearances by Scott Vogel (Terror) on 'Nothing Left' and Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory) on highlight 'The Only Thing' add a different flavour, it probably would have been nice to see something different every now and then in the vocals overall, particularly considering the arguably overwhelming length of the album for the style of music that Throwdown play. That's probably where the main flaw lies. 14 tracks at an average length of about 3 minutes each is a little too much for an album that retains a similar sound for basically it's entirety, and considering that their sound may be hard to swallow for many anyway, it's an unnecessary aspect to 'Haymaker', that really, does little else but hurt it. But, amidst the vicious guitars and roaring drums lies very positive lyrics. Sure, most of us won't get anything out of the straight edge-related topics that appear in a lot of the songs, but much of the messages apply to everyone and add a nice touch of positivity to such a gigantically heavy album. Just try not to sing-a-long with 'Nothing Left' or 'Forever'. While 'Haymaker' is a really solid album, it seems that it's better served as something you would listen to only to enhance Throwdown's live experience - "Get the record, learn the words, head out to the show and get yourself in the family". Good advice I'd say, but still worth your time if you're a fan of Hatebreed or Terror, or are looking for something a little more "full-on" than something like Poison The Well.

Recovery. It's something almost everyone has to face in life, in one form/way or another. Personal losses and professional tragedies often lead to dramatic changes and new directions, while retaining the lessons learned and displaying the scars earned. Everyone's favorite good ol' boys from Bro-C, Throwdown are a band that knows a thing or two about devastating loss and change, as well as experience and expertise in crafting a vivacious, righteous rising, and an undeniable recovery. Through constant line up switches, a big label jump, incessant touring, multiple band obligations, and a disastrous previous effort, Throwdown remain, better than ever, far from unscathed, and after five years of turmoil, toil and triumph, they are more than ready to take their place at the top of the hardcore food chain. "Haymaker" which features fourteen tracks of both new and re-recorded older material is light years ahead of last years regression "Face The Mirror", and is concrete evidence that this band has plenty of punches left in the ring, at the studio and on the stage, without ever taking time to hit the ropes. The in your face opener "Never Back Down" is obviously very literal, as Throwdown absolutely refuses to throughout the duration of this disc, until they've proved why they are and always will be, one of the best hc bands ever. Brand new shiners like "Walk Away", "You Can't Kill Integrity", "Hopeless", "Declare Your War" "Hate For The Weak." and "The Only Thing" are completely unforgiving, assaulting the senses with fiery passion that very of their extreme music colleagues can match. Though I wasn't a huge fan of the "Face The Mirror", the treatment those tracks are given here makes them sound entirely new, and thankfully the band chose the most choice cuts, like "Nothing Left". and "Face The Mirror." They've included redone versions of the "Drive Me Dead" classics "Step It Up" and "Raise Your Fist" and surprisingly have also elected to add a rendition of the "Beyond Repair" fave, "Slip." Though I am most pleased with their decision to offer up "False Idols" which has always been one of my most beloved of any Throwdown track. They even give it a new makeover, and it sounds more brutal than ever. Guitarists Keith Barney and Tommy Love turn in perfect performances, as does bassist Dom Macluso. They are definitely exploring the limits of mosh metal, embellishing the barrage of breakdowns with melodic interjections and experimental ideals, much as they did on their masterpiece "You Don't Have To Be Blood To Be Family." Though Keith Barney has had to step down from the mic due to throat problems, and while he is missed since his vocals were some of the finest to ever grace any record or stage, former guitarist and new frontman Dave Peters gets the job done, and done very well at that. Harsh but clear vocals, with lots of tough guy energy and attitude. His sustained screams on "Nothing Left" and "Slip" are a force to be reckoned with as are the guest spots from Chad Gilbert (formerly of Shai Hulud and present pinup in New Found Glory) and Scott Vogel (ex-Despair and Buried Alive, currently demolishing everything with Terror). The lyrics are not much of an evolution from the usual Tdown material, yet they are as brutally honest as ever. The production courtesy of Greg Koller is killer, and the layout is another fine achievement from Asterisk Studios. "Haymaker" is without a doubt a must have for both the longtime fan and the novice Tdown inductee. The Family continues to grow, to mature and to achieve. I really can't say enough good things about this record, it's just so damn heavy and so damn good. Hatebreed, Sworn Enemy, Terror, Madball and Shattered Realm fans listen up: if you want completely brutal, furious, unrelenting straight edge hardcore with an emphasis on the hard part of the core formula, "Haymaker" should be in your stereo, in your ears and flowing through your veins as you are knocking out the teeth of the Fashioncore emoslut cumdumpster next to you on the dancefloor. Just when you thought it was over...it's time to get sick all over again..

"You Don't have to Be Blood to Be Family"... What a record that was. That same impact you get with Hatebreed, but it was different nevertheless, seemed to be more adventures, something I couldn't quite put a finger on. The highly anticipated follow up "Haymaker" came out through Trustkill; the US label with a nose for talent. "Haymaker" has got to be the most "crushing" album of the year. Friends and family are everything, and being loyal to them is important for the band, but if you ever do them wrong, you'll unleash the Throwdown dragon to strike you down. I'm almost grateful to the people that pissed Throwdown off, they made this record to the greatness that it is. It's heavier and even a lot more aggressive than anything this band has done before, but still there's room for pure metal influences to take it to a higher plane. Dave Peters vocals are a cross between Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) and Phil Anselmo (Pantera), and their music is a collision of continents.

If for a moment you can place this statement out of previous-band context, it's something I never thought I would see on a THROWDOWN press sheet: "featuring guest vocals by Chad Gilbert of NEW FOUND GLORY." Anyway...THROWDOWN return for their third full-length, first for Trustkill, and "Haymaker" is just a beast of a release. While the band pulls no tricks (though I'm sure, unleashes a bevy of punches) on here, they pretty much give way to prior hopes and expectations, and the status quo appears to be continued. The absolutely gigantic production on here gives this band a sound of professionalism that they have always seemed to lack. Although their last disc, "You Don't Have To Be Blood To Be Family" was hardly a juvenile sounding release in terms of recording quality, "Haymaker" just races up the measuring stick in determining what a "big sound" means. As for the release itself, among the 14 tracks THROWDOWN alternate often between the screamingly fast crushers and the more typical mid-paced metalcore beatdowns. As always, regardless of how heavy the band sounds, the reckless positive energy flows from start to finish. Even through all of the spitted out verses and ganglion-grabbing growls, this disc is one of the few that can make you smile while mentally tearing down your enemies in the most grotesque manner. As THROWDOWN have been lacking a drummer for quite some time, the band enlisted the highly skilled Jarrod Alexander (DEATH BY STEREO) for the recording of this release, and like everything this guy seems to touch, his monstrous playing gives these guys the power of a roaring firetruck, romping through an intersection on an open road. And although plenty of the band's mosh parts, and guitar chuggs sound like they came from the recycle bin, "Haymaker" never bores as a result of the tremendous intensity splashed about. While some bands succumb to the cliched frality of a particular genre, THROWDOWN, along with HATEBREED have pretty much become benchmarks for all to compete against. Although it's arguably insulting to call "Haymaker" mindless fun, the engaging nature of THROWDOWN's songwriting practically encourages this designation. Afterall, the sticker on the jewel case reads "get the record, learn the words, head out to the show and get yourself in the family." Sounds about right.

Throwdown's followers insist that the Southern California residents are a cut above most of the bands in the metalcore field, which has been extremely crowded in the '90s and 2000s. And when Haymaker is playing, one is inclined to agree with that assertion. For all its bombast and sledgehammer brutality, Haymaker is simply smarter and better constructed than most of 2003's metalcore CDs--which is saying a lot when you consider just how much of a metalcore glut there was that year. Haymaker isn't quite as heavy and dense as some metalcore outings; Throwdown gives listeners more room to breathe and don't go out of their way to be exhausting. But while that room-to-breathe factor is a plus, it isn't the main thing that makes Haymaker superior to competing metalcore discs--the things that make this CD above average are the hooks, the vocals and the lyrics. Lead singer Dave Peters favors the sort of tortured, screaming vocal style that metalcore is known for, but his screaming doesn't make the lyrics difficult or impossible to understand (which is a common problem among metalcore, grindcore, death metal and black metal bands). You can easily understand the lyrics that are coming out of his mouth, and those lyrics--for all their angst, anger, rebellion and catharsis--are relatively thoughtful. Peters often addresses the importance of things like friendship and self-respect, thus reflecting Throwdown's straight-edge outlook. Ultimately, Haymaker 's lyrics are more positive than negative, but without getting into the sort of preachy political correctness that has made some straight-edge bands off-putting and even annoying. Heaven knows, there were plenty of metalcore releases to choose from in 2003; Haymaker is certainly among the more memorable ones.

Throwdown will pound you into submission with their Trustkill debut, "Haymaker." They blend some pretty aggressive hardcore with some melodic elements and screamed positive lyrics, creating a highly energizing sound. No doubt you'll be ready to kick some ass after listening to this record.

Although I enjoyed the sound of this band, I could not exactely understand the hype that was made around them for quite some time now. This changed after seeing them live this summer, which was an excellent experience, and after listening to their new album, which is excellent as well. As far as I know, this is the first effort with a new singer, and that new guy is really excellent and somehow one of the central features of this band. A real powerful and angry throat, singing cool lyrics (eventhough they follow some cliches, but they are much more sincere than often before...) with a cool vibe. Speaking of vibe - he almost has a slight hip hop-groove to his verses, as he shows e.g. in song #4, one of my favorites. Beside the cool vocal abilities, this album delivers a mighty dose of moshcore, and better songwriting than before. The formular "mosh, old school, mosh" they used kinda too often before is wiped out, instead you get a powerful, more mature tough guy hardcore with a real cool positive feeling, not only created by the lyrics, but by the harmonies and songstructures as well. You'll find much more mosh than fast parts on here, which is good as the band shines while moshing with their mighty tuned down guitars and a slight rock-influence they really should give more focus on! Not only for fans of the band, but for everyone who needs some pure hardcore-assault without any gimmicks and compromises - and without sounding old fashioned as well!

Ok, look down at your hand. Gently clench your fist and hold! Now push play on your CD player and play Throwdown's latest release "Haymaker". Now watch has your fist uncontrollably swings at anyone, or anything in the roos. This record is that moving. Violent hardcore with big thundering breakdowns, and true to life anthems. What more would you expect from an Orange County band? "Intro (Never Back Down)" kicks the record off with a groove that will imprint itself on your mind for days to come. From there "Walk Away" pulsates with aggression. The guitars are big and crushing, while Peters sounds like the leader of a crew of Hells Angels! There is of course a series of blast beats and breakdowns that closes the effort out. In my opinion "You Can't Kill Integrity" epitomizes Throwdown! It kind of reminded me of Sepultura from the Max days, only with a tuff guy hardcore flare. The track is riffy, heavy, and filled with grooves that will stir circle pits dizzy! Another appealing aspect of the track is Peters coming across sincerely pissed off. Lyrics like "You can't kill integrity! And that's all there is to say. You can't take my pride from me. But I've got one thing left to say...pay your debt to me!" oozes with spit and sincerity! Throwdown is one of those bands you have to see live to get the full experience. They fall in line with the Full Blown Chaos's, Madball's, and Terror's of the world. And unlike some other acts from Orange County, they could care less about image, stylish clothes, or sexual confusion! Instead they bark about life and family...and that is to be commended! Pit Scale: 7.5, Be sure to listen to "Nothing Left" which features vocals from Scott of Terror. Also "The Only Thing" features Chad from New Found Glory. Both songs rips and shred!

Orange County, California has long been a breeding ground for punk and hardcore bands over the years. I could rattle off a laundry list of amazing bands, but instead I'm going to talk about one of the bands that is leading the new wave of bands emerging out of Orange County: Throwdown. Hearing the name Throwdown, you are instantly prepared for something heavy, and naming the album "Haymaker" and plastering a prize fighter, hands taped and all throughout the CD booklet, the listener instantly knows they are in for something devastating. That devastation goes well beyond the fancy packaging and any name the band can throw out there though, and by simply listening to the first note of the album, you'll begin to understand why. This marks the vocal debut for new Throwdown vocalist Dave Peters. It's extremely rare to have a band make a vocalist change without having to change members, but that is the case for Throwdown as former vocalist Keith Barney has basically switched spots with Peters, and now plays guitar. In general Dave is very comparable to Keith, and gives off the same vibe, but his voice is much deeper and actually makes Throwdown heavier. Believe it or not, that is in fact possible. Barney didn't exactly want to step down, but his voice just kept going out on him and for the band to be successful, the switch was necessary. With no prior experience as a vocalist, Peters stepped in and did an amazing job. With the exception of a few songs that are re-recorded and written by Barney (more on that in a bit), Peters handles the writing on "Haymaker." This is by design, as Peters specifically wanted the words on this album to be from his heart, and as the vocalist it only makes sense. His heart is obviously battered and bruised, because there is enough fire and venom in his words to kill the strongest of men. Keeping with the Throwdown pattern set over the course of previous releases, the songs focus on friendship and the values of being straight-edge, among other things. There is immense amounts of sing-a-long potential in these songs, especially in songs like "Hopeless" with the line "BUT YOU'LL NEVER FUCKING CROSS ME NOW!!" which is sure to not only inspire lots of singing, but some insane pile-ups. My only possible complaint I can come up with for this album, and this is just me being super picky, is Peters' apparent Spyder One syndrome, as he says the word "go" enough to make the Powerman 5000 frontman proud. Whatever, that doesn't really mean much, it just sticks out a little. While in the end I tend to prefer Barney's vocals over Peters, the difference is minimal and Peters will bring Throwdown to great heights for years to come. As brutal as the words and voice may be, Throwdown backs up that brutality musically. There is no drop-off between Peters and Barney on guitar, as Barney pairs with Tommy Love and bassist Dom Macaluso to give the force that backs the punch. There really shouldn't be much of a drop off on guitar, after all, Barney also serves as Eighteen Vision's guitarist and has been playing guitar for years. There are enough violent breakdowns on this album to inspire the sickest of mosh pits, and light the fire under anyone's ass. Drumming on the album is provided by Jarrod Alexander, as former drummer Ken Floyd has exited the band, though he was never expected to be a permanent member of the band. Throwdown have found their permanent replacement though, and his name is Wes Keely. Overall, a solid performance that will make any thug driving his burnt out Pinto pumping the "hotness" through their system jealous with it's earth shaking ability. Seriously, test this theory out, crank this shit up and drown out anything and everything within seeing distance. There are a couple cool features on the album. "Face The Mirror" and "Nothing Left" both appeared on the bands "Face The Mirror" EP, which was only available on the road directly from the band. Both songs have been re-recorded with Dave on vocals. The before mentioned "Nothing Left" even features a guest spot from Terror throat Scott Vogel, who adds an interesting flavor to the song. Two other songs were re-recorded from previous Throwdown releases: "Slip" and "Raise Your Fist." Another song on the release (I do not know which) was also originally written to appear on a Poison The Well split that never happened. There is another guest spot on the album on the track "The Only Thing" from New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert. You may remember Gilbert from his days as the voice of Shai Hulud, and this just goes to show that even though you may progress from the core, the core always stays in you. About 16 minutes into "Raise Your Fist" (after about 12 minutes of silence) is a collection of random recordings from the band, and includes a cameo from rap group Onyx. If you can either last through or even skip right through the 12 minutes, it is a funny listen, and shows what most of people already know, that these are just regular dudes like the rest of us. Even if the five members of Throwdown collectively weigh in at 150 pounds (and that's being generous!), the heaviness they possess goes well beyond the name Throwdown and the title "Haymaker." It's simply not a gimmick; this band is for real, and will absolutely knock you the fuck out. As bands like Hatebreed and Poison The Well have graduated from the underground ranks onto major labels, they have waited for a band to pass the torch onto. With "Haymaker," Throwdown not only grabs that torch, but shines it brightly. This is everything longtime Throwdown fans have been waiting for and more, and will solidify Throwdown's position as one of the most revered bands in hardcore today. This will easily be one of, if not the best hardcore releases all year, easily surpassing the amazing new release from Shai Hulud. Fans of bands like Madball, Terror and even Pantera will dig "Haymaker," which hits stores July 1st.

For those unfamiliar with boxing jargon, a "haymaker" is a last-ditch, give it your all blow, one designed to either maim or kill your opponent. That's a fitting term for Throwdown's music, which is moshcore so brutish that it's barely street-legal. Haymaker administers chuggachugga breakdowns that would make Hatebreed smile, while poundyour- chest sing-a-longs espouse straightedge dogma. Guitarist Dave Peters and vocalist Keith Barney (also of Eighteen Visions) played musical chairs and swapped posts here, but there's not much of a difference, as Throwdown's skewering riffs and pugnacious vocals remain fully intact; the band even recuts tunes from last year's Face The Mirror EP, as well as "Raise Your Fist" from 2000's Drive Me Dead. While sister act Eighteen Visions is all style and flash, Throwdown is all blood and bone. This band is as severe as a gaping headwound and Haymaker throws punches unapologetically.

They're called Throwdown. What do you expect? Melody? Clean guitar breaks? Catchy singing vocals during the choruses? Fuck no. Brutal metalcore with tons of chugga chugga, lots of mosh, huge breakdowns. Exactly what the name implies. At various points in time these cats have had in their ranks members of Eighteen Visions, Death by Stereo, and Bleeding Through, but not being a follower of any of those bands I have no idea if anyone in their current lineup is still in another band or two, but I don't care. This is a really straightforward record, there really aren't any twists or surprises. It sounds very similar to Hatebreed in most cases, with more texture and slower rhythms, sometimes venturing into territory that reminds me a little bit of Pantera (no shit) or start/stop riffing that has a tiny bit of a Meshuggah (gone way stripped down) influence. "Nothing Left" features some guest vocals from Scott Vogel (Terror) and "The Only Thing" has some guest vocals from Chad Gilbert (New Found Glory, but more importantly the ex-vocalist of Shai Hulud), but those are the only minor "variations" in vocal delivery. "Hate for the Weak" is by far and away the absolute best song on this disc, though. It's a little bit melodic (barely), but the chorus is memorable as fuck and the chord progressions and arrangements are a lot more energetic and catchy somehow. Fucking classic. If the whole record was as good as this song I'd shit myself. Even if it is cheesy as hell to say stuff like "Fuck that shit, open this pit up!" on a studio recording. As for the production, it's alright, but the bass needs more definition big time. Right now the guitars have an unusual texture in that they're really heavy but have a rough edge, and the bass is just a muddy sort of throb resting underneath. The vocals also need to fall back in with the music, as in my opinion the vocals lack genuine anger and feel a little bit forced on many occasions, and it takes awhile to get used to the strained shouting of the delivery (possibly due to their placement). The drums sound pretty damn nice, and overall the record sounds really good after your ears adjust. It could be better is all. Despite the fact that the layout revolves around photos of a burly, tattooed hardcore dude wearing no shirt, a studded belt, and baggy jeans wrapping his hands up and throwing punches. It actually looks pretty fucking awesome. Hell, it does look really fucking awesome, it's one of the best looking records I've seen in awhile. I like the colors, I like the bloody textures, I like the fonts and the arrangement, the photography is well done. Sue me. The lyrics are bitter and pretty typical, covering all the bases from respect and revenge to staying true to yourself and your friends, being straightedge, taking no shit, etc. It's been done before, and nothing really hits me as particularly interesting. It's also hard to take sporadically violent/toughguy lyrics seriously coming from a bunch of kids from Orange County, CA whose own bio admits that their average height is less than 6' and their average weight is around 150, know what I mean? I don't know, I've actually seen some skinny dudes lay down some fuckin' beatings in my time, so. whatever. I like this record for the most part, so that's all I give a shit about. A few tracks are fairly weak but other than that it's a consistent offering.

"Don't make me angry...you wouldn't like me when I'm angry". Bruce Banner's timeless tag line has always associated with breaking stuff and efforts of Herculean strength. The truth of the matter is that I've found what truly made ol' Bruce so pissed of and sends him into his pant tightening rage. This album is what the Hulk would listen to. Case and point; I despise hardcore moshing, ninja moshing, kung fu moshing and generally senseless acts of violence against strangers. However, for about 80 percent of this Haymaker's material, I'm thrown into fits of uncontrollable involuntary violent spasms, and am absolutely ready to fight anyone. For brief moments of anger-blurred vision, I feasibly could see how Joe "Angst" teenager would lose his shit to this style of cathartic outlet. Straightedge pure football-core from California that makes Hatebreed look like N*SYNC. No Swedish melodies, no frivolous guitar work, just pure no-neck, tough guy hardcore beef with enough vitriolic breakdowns to level a city block. With all the fine metal I've got to listen to recently. I've surprised myself with the amount of play this knuckle-dragging affair has gotten, but also a testament to its pure energy and sheer force. I'd love to sit here and write deep song by song dissections, but to be honest, any kind of in-depth intellectual summation of these 14 bruising tracks would be worthless. With a straight edge lyrical stance that favors loyalty, friends, retribution and the straight edge lifestyle over socio-political anti-governments rants, Throwdown present an album of personal hymnals that I somewhat identify with. Of course, they are all delivered with a constant hardcore roar, as Dave Peters no doubt grimaces with "fuck you" attitude while delivering every message. The focus of the music is down-tuned, mid-paced anthemic chugging with odd insertions of more punk-based speed, but Throwdown aren't quite as competent when attempting a more speedy gallop. But by, God, when they lurch into their frequent breakdowns it's a sonic kick in the balls that leaves you with that aching gut feeling. Guitarists Keith Barney and Tommy Love keep things stunningly simple, but also create moments of such massive intensity, you can help clench your fists and explode when the time comes. If the immense chest-pounding riffs contained in "Walk Away", "Forever", "Hopeless", "False Idols", and pretty much all the album's short devastating bursts, don't get you to at least break one item in your immediate vicinity, go listen to your Justin Timberlake album. The production is suitably meaty, with an emphasis on the rhythm section, allowing the mammoth-sized segments to resonate with anger in any type of speaker. While I've greatly enjoyed the melodic metalcore explosion that the metal scene is enduring, it was somewhat refreshing to hear this kind of base level aggression free from soppy cliched song titles and layered harmonies that throw in a piecemeal breakdown to display their hardcore "roots". Haymaker just strives to bludgeon the listener into submission with relentless power and lyrical conviction that doesn't sacrifice any vehement content despite being straight edge. Sure, its shelflife, for those with a wider musical tastes that don't live SxE 24/7 or live hardcore to the fullest, isn't that long. But for right now, it's suiting my frame of mind, and is giving me ample opportunity to find my hardcore alter ego that died in High School. Now please fuck off before I hurt you.