Isolated

ISOLATED from Quedlinburg have been playing since 1993 and have already shared the stage with hardcore giants like SICK OF IT ALL, AGNOSTIC FRONT, and MADBALL. Listening to their new album "Antistyle," the eponymous German-language opener immediately grabs me. It's hard-hitting, well-played hardcore punk with lyrics that don't reflect the standard hardcore attitude, but rather a clear statement against smug, intolerant characters. This appeals to everyone, both punk rock and hardcore listeners. ISOLATED want to return to their common roots, as they also point out in the booklet that no one needs to be told how "hardcore" is supposed to work. They quote Roger Miret: "Never trust a hardcore kid that has not listened to punk." They are not an intolerant band that thinks in boxes, and the guys in the booklet photos don't look as angry as one might expect from "hardcore posers." It comes across as authentic and sympathetic, not forced. Musically, they deliver hardcore that really hits hard. "Against the stream" is a real earworm (excerpt from the verse: "....hardcore, punk and metal was the things that we loved" chorus: "no trendy shit – against the stream – diy – ready to fight")! The song has the potential to become a real scene hit. Plus, the boys really deliver with a raw edge here. The other songs on the album are consistently good and lyrically express the band's stance against commercialism and scene trends. The second German-language song "Keine leeren Worte" also really knocks me off my feet; it's sung aggressively, the music is raw, and the message of the song is clear: "Fight, no empty words, fight!" For ISOLATED, solidarity counts instead of clothes and box-thinking! A song from the street for the street! I wish there were many more bands and people with this attitude. Vocally and musically, the band conveys all their aggression and anger here, and it really pulls you in. For that, I give them full marks and recommend getting the album, preferably at a live concert of the band.