Path of Resistance

“Can’t Stop the Truth” (Victory Records)

Sounds like: Strife, Youth of Today

REVIEW: 4 / 5

In short: With Christians on the heels of celebrating the resurrection of their savior, it’s time for hardcore kids to step up to celebrate the re-birth of their own giant. Dump your girlfriend for your old crew, dig up those bloodied camo shorts, start eating salad and X up – the Path is back.

There’s always a great deal of uneasiness in hardcore to coagulate with the excitement and anticipation when rumors of a band preparing to get back in the fight begin to surface.

Undoubtedly, the scene has seen too many bands go from mosh pit vanguard to complete well-intentioned embarrassment – cough, Agnostic Front, Madball, Integrity, cough.

Well, breathe a sigh of relief, Path of Resistance is back. Still vegan, still straight-edge, still vigilant and still seething, “Can’t Stop the Truth,” is a call to arms from some hardcore vets that aren’t saying they’re back to prove the others wrong – just back to let the Norma Jean generation know there was a time when hardcore was characterized by something other than girl jeans and haircuts. It was about a jaw-clenching urge to change the world and live outside society’s hypocritical ethics.

Basically, the album’s lyrical inspirations come from ex-Earth Crisis voice Karl Beuchner’s own stances deeply rooted in environmental and ethical veganism balanced with his well-publicized, straight- edge devotion.

There is no doubt that this a fantastic return for one of hardcore’s most urgent bands. Welcome back – why did you ever leave?

– Dante Sacomani