Overlooked, the long awaited full length recording from San Francisco's Allegiance is finally here. Two years in the making, this is undoubtedly their best material to date. Drawing comparisons to Madball, No Warning, Right Brigade, and Floorpunch, this record is 12 tracks of relentless, powerful NYHC style hardcore. Picking up where they left off on their self-titled 7"/MCD (back in print as a re-release on Rivalry Records, originally released by Anchor Records in 2003), this record is faster, heavier, and much more focused than their past recordings. The song writing has matured, fusing a touch of rock influence with the hardnosed NYHC style hardcore that we've come to expect from Allegiance. Recorded with Zack Ohren at Castle Ultimate Studios (Killing the Dream, Lights Out, Time For Living), the record thunders with thick, loud production. Lyrically, the record covers specific topics ranging from propaganda in the tobacco industry to the brutality of sexual abuse, but throughout the record lies an overwhelming testament to the great ambivelence of life - when to hold on, and when to "just let go." The message is quite personal at times, but can be applied to any of us who have ever struggled to find our place in the world, only to realize that our place is right here and now - amidst the struggle and the chaos.
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