Goodbye Cruel World

OUT COLD
GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD

Track Listing:

		Take As Needed For Pain
		Total Human Monster
		Innocent Bystander
		Vibrate
		By A Thread
MP3		Misanthrope
		Doomsday Guy
		Burn
MP3		You Lie
		Hello Disaster
		Temper Temper
		Blind Spot
		Body #9
		Sick Little Game

Reviews:

GROBADER (FRANCE)

You can always count on Out Cold. Totally out of step with any kind of fashion, they're keeping on - and will keep on - doing what they do since the beginning: great fast & angry hardcore punk. The word "flourishes"? Not in their dictionary. The usual deal: 14 uppercuts in 20 minutes. If you want to talk about small variations on the same old theme, maybe the flavour is a little more punk rock, and there are a few more mid-tempos than on the previous ones. Apart from that, it's written Out Cold on it, so you can't go wrong. This album will probably not be, despite its title, their last one. That's good to hear for us.

AL QUINT'S COLUMN

I didn’t realize it had been almost 4 years since the last Out Cold album. Where does the time go? No idea, but time hasn’t dulled this band’s power or pure aggression. Remaining one of the more unheralded US hardcore bands, at least compared to less-deserving units that get the hype and Out Cold have been dishing out their noise for over a decade. The lineup this time includes half of Last In Line, with Deuce and Mikey Flynn joining Mark Sheehan and John Evicci. No major change in sound—Mark and John play most of the instruments on the recordings, although Mikey’s acrobatic bass-lines can be heard on some songs, especially the hard-driving closer “Sick Little Game.” High-energy hardcore punk that blends early ‘80s and ’77 era influences and also balances the rawness with sharp production. No bullshit, no excess—a killing machine running on all cylinders.

SHORT, FAST & LOUD #15

During the last months, every day I kneeled down in front of my self-made (DIY!!) Out Cold shrine in order to beg the godz of hardcore if they couldn't force Out Cold to record another album, and finally all my prayers were heard. Yeah, sometimes it's cool to believe in something, eh!?! Whatever. For the duration of now eighteen (!!) years, Out Cold put out one timeless shot after the other, and let me tell ya that Goodbye Cruel World fits perfectly into that round dance of their previous offerings. Throughout all of the years of their career, this foursome didn't lose one drop of their ability to tear whole cities into wastelands, which stands for that Out Cold still deliver the goods with nothing but quick, solid-as-fuck, over-and-above, completely mad, scornful, old-school hardcore that contains a fierce screaming shouter who spits out gallons of venomous poison. These fourteen slits are over in under twenty minutes, so you can be sure that these guys don't fuck around. There's no discussion necessary: Goodbye Cruel World is a modern-day classic, full stop!!

ARTCORE #23 (WALES)

As you'd expect, this does exactly what it says on the tin. No holds barred 1981-style Massachusetts hardcore that's basically an exact cross between Negative Approach and early Poison Idea. Songs like "Total Human Monster" and "Innocent Bystander" rock like most bands of this ilk today just can't muster. Admittedly, album in and album out, they never stray too far from their chosen path, but if you're onto a winning formula, why bother?

SLUG & LETTUCE #86

After 15+ years as one of the most under-appreciated US hardcore bands, Out Cold deliver their SIXTH(!!) album, and one could easily argue that this is their best. The member rotation continues (only the singer and drummer have been there from the start), and the addition of half of Last In Line certainly did not hurt them. These 14 songs are burly and pissed as hell, and there is nary a slow bit on the entire record. Mark is one of my favorite vocalists in hardcore; fully pissed screams but you can still understand (some of) the lyrics, which are frustrated and personal. There is a very Japanese style to the riffing, and the occasional lead serves to cement that impression, but Out Cold are a quintessential American hardcore band, and bring a certain "something" to the table that most bands today lack. Perhaps it's that nothing on this record seems even remotely fake or contrived...just frustrated dudes who do this because it's what they do and they don't know what else to do. They blow away the theory that you can only make good records for so long (the rule is three, after that you start to suck, or worse, "broaden your musical horizons"); Out Cold get better with every record. And their website says they just recorded almost 30 new songs. Fuck.

SOUND IDEA

England's legendary Spinal Tap were once chastised by a critic who wrote, "The musical growth of this band cannot be charted." And perhaps the same can be said of Out Cold, although in their case the comment would be no potshot. Face it: Out Cold got it right early on and there's never been a reason to change a thing. Everything this band has ever done is fantastic. On this, their sixth and final album, these underrated Massachusetts maniacs offer up fourteen more bile-spewing hardcore diatribes. What sets Out Cold ahead of the pack is their vast resource of brutal barre chord riffage. Fuse that with their sincere animosity and you've got a winning combination, fella. Like Negative Approach, Out Cold spits out terse, potent, pointed lyrics in staccato cadence. This is music for the discontented. Fans of early American hardcore, such as Jerry's Kids, Battalion Of Saints, the F.U.s and the like will drool all over this. I know I did. Too bad they've broken up, but they can hold their heads high and know they never made a bad record. I highly suggest getting anything you can find by this group. [Note: this is not the band's final record despite rumors that it was.]

JIMMY REJECT

Keeping the ’82 Boston/D.C. hardcore flame going since the hair metal hey daze of 1988, the long lasting and ever proficient Northern Mass band Out Cold has graced us with yet another release. Their last CD “Will Provoke if Attacked” proved just how much tightness and skill you could apply to an old school ‘core sound. It’s with this release that they pull some mature punches without deviating from the usual barrage of hate.

With song titles like “Burn”, “Body #9” and “Misanthrope” the dark and introverted themes are kept very much intact, and Mark Sheehan’s (an accomplice of the late G.G. Allin who can be heard playing guitar, among other things, on his Faggots, Freaks, Drunks and Junkies, Suicide Sessions, and Watch Me Kill records respectfully) vocals rarely stray from the John Brannon style angry bark. Given that, the instrumental finesse explored on the last CD finds them veering toward territory that lends a (for want of a better word) melody to their visceral sound. The aforementioned “Burn” (perhaps because this album is dedicated in memory of Johnny Ramone) finds the band pulling any rhythmic or guitar punch they possibly can to bring a catchy ’77 sound to dwell under Mark’s pissed off shout. Other songs show touches that are redolent of (dare I say) the better hair metal from times past, while more than enough (especially the barely a minute thrasher “Body #9”) bring forth that slam dance thrash from straight outta ’82.

The stylistic departures I speak of aren’t common enough to win the band any kind of crossover audience, but this is an album that their normal following can raise their fist to while also remarking at the band’s new found elements. I appreciate Out Cold for sticking to their guns forever and keeping the sounds of a million Ratskeller matinees alive and well. After all the mod haircuts and white belts are reduced to rubble, Out Cold, will stand among the ruins, perhaps doing a cover of Gang Green’s “Rabies” with a proud tear in their eye.

MAXIMUMROCKNROLL #265

Man, is this band still around? Crazy. For years, they have been receiving reviews telling punx how underrated they are, and this review isn't going to be any different. Out Cold plays ugly, negative hardcore from Massachusetts that would fit in with a lot of the nihilistic shit that's come out of the Midwest since the early days of hardcore punk. Solid and straightforward, this should please current fans of the band and will hopefully bring new listeners to the fold.

THE NOISE #252

Good Lord! After having suspicions about an album that's named after a Roger Waters tune, I read the lyrics before I listened to the CD. Every song has content about death and/or sickness, rotting away and the pain of it all. I expected depressing, sad, SAD music, maybe slow as a shit with no roughage and plodding, miserable sounds. The music does not fit the lyrics. The music is hyper thrash mosh-type...well, I won't call it metal, but neither is it punk. It's music that's loud, in the same key all the time, fast, and, depending on your point of view, angry. You can't hear any of the lyrics, so I guess my karma was right in making me read them first. Ever hear of Cannibal Corpse? Out Cold is the younger cousin with higher pitched vocals. To the credit of these guys, the tunes (pieces) ARE influential and do something to your body and mind. After hearing three songs I was ready to deface a Latin grave, spew vomit on an elderly sales manager, and justify it all by disemboweling my neighbor's Boston terrier. Music to be violent by. Keep playing guys, and pay attention to what eventually breaks the band up. Good luck.

SLUG & LETTUCE #83

Massachusetts can not stop churning out quality fast hardcore it seems, and Out Cold is another to add to the list. I'd like to compare this to the DC punkers The Suspects but with more snot, and more fast parts too. Digging it even more on my second listen, which is always a good thing! 14 songs packed into a short amount of time.

RAZORCAKE #26

I still stand by that the previous record, Will Attack If Provoked, is an unheralded hardcore gem--one of the top ten of the last decade. Although far from a bad album, Goodbye Cruel World doesn't quite measure up to the power, intensity, and hidden chord melodicism of it's predecessor (where it seemed that the faster they belted it out, the catchier it got, which is still a mystery), it's still satisfying. Barked vocals, believably bleak lyrics, stark guitars, and conviction make it heads and shoulders above whatever screamo dog and pony show is being peddled to the impressionable kids for the next five minutes. I just don't feel the chills with this record and I wish I did.

SICZINE.COM

Leave it to Dan at Mad At The World Records to dig up some hardcore gems. I really love what the guy is doing with the label, releasing great old school inspired records that kids should know about but just slept on over the years. The Major Conflict album is the most recent example of this. I might not have ever heard those songs if it wasn’t for this label. But enough nut-riding, on to the review..... Goodbye Cruel World was released this past year on Kangaroo Records in Europe but this is the first time this album was pressed for a US release. Now if you’re not familiar with Out Cold they’re a straight up traditional 90's hardcore band that formed back in 1989. They’ve put out six albums, numerous EP’s and splits yet for the length of time they have been around, are still considered one of hardcore’s best-kept secrets. Through all of the obstacles thrown their way, from lineup changes, personal problems they have never once strayed from the sound they started with. This LP is a testament to the band’s perseverance and full speed ahead attitude. Either by the venom in his voice or the thought behind his words, Mark Sheehan does a madman job of getting his pissed off views across to the listener. In the song "By A Thread," he screams his head off to end with a classic Out Cold line, "The sunlight bores the daylights out of me." [ed: hahaha...] Every song lyrically is like a page out of a raging lunatics journal. Hello Disaster and Doomsday Guy are prime examples and are undeniably two of the most pissed off anthems you will hear. As I had mentioned, musically it’s early 80's hardcore with emphasis on speed, the only pause is when it comes time to switch from side A to B. Mark Sheehan oversaw the production, and it shows, raw production for even rawer music. The layout is similar to most of the bands' covers, same font, black and gray with a picture of a guy on a high mountaintop. It comes with an insert with all of the lyrics for your reading enjoyment, as well as a band photo. The layout matches the music, no bells and whistles just straight up Out Cold. Whether you’re already a fan or like 80's hardcore, this is worthy of adding to your collection.

LAST BREATH #1 (SERBIA & MONTENEGRO)

After the great LP from 2001 called Will Attack If Provoked and great show in Akademija, Out Cold are back with new stuff. Everything you used to hear from them are here: fast and short songs of hardcore punkrock that are never longer than 2 minutes. In band are, except John and Mark, two new members, but that didn't cause a change in style, and on today's scene they are one of the oldest as not-well known bands. Doesn't matter of not changing style they play and not taking punk rock trends, I think this Boston band people don't respect that much and I think they really deserve.

FACE UP TO IT (FINLAND)

I would've been stupid if I hadn't taken an opportunity, which makes one a thief according to an old Finnish proverb: "Opportunity makes a thief." You see, when you could have preordered this CD for ridiculous price of 5 Euros, including postage. It took several months, but finally I got a package from America. Along with record, which is dedicated to the memory of Johnny Ramone, there was also a Out Cold sticker (stickers are always nice) and a letter apologizing that it took so long to release this record.

Good things are worth waiting for, so never mind a little releasing problem. At first my attention focused on the good-looking cover, where some desperate man is jumping off a cliff. In any case, the visual sight is familiar from earlier records, as is the music. As they say, you should not fix it if it ain't broken, a fact known by bands like AC/DC and Ramones, among many others.

As everyone already knew, Out Cold plays the real hardcore, and damn well. This record is no exception and from the first beat I knew this record will enjoy being in my CD player. When I listened the songs for first time, I didn't quite grasp them but after listening few times I started get the picture. If Goodbye Cruel World is compared to their two earlier albums, it has got some rock shades. I can't figure out any bands to compare, you should listen to the MP3s on their website. Even though they haven't invented the wheel here, I think I can skip traditional comparsion to bands like Negative Approach and Black Flag, just because of age of the band and the style which has stayed true from the start. You will know how fast, violent, angry and non-compromising hardcorepunk should sound like. Out Cold sounds just like it. The few guitar solos fit right in their places throughout the rude spirit. Lyrics are also rude like you can figure out from title of songs and sentences such as "Genocide when I'm feeling mean" and "Wipe your tears, take the fucking knife."

After useless blaah-blaah, let's get the reason why I read reviews myself, the bottom line: Out Cold's new album is a fucking great hardcore record. True, it suffers quite a bit when the length stays under 20 minutes, but otherwise, I would rather listen to a record where all songs are good than a record where there are bad ones too. If you like earlier Out Cold, this delight of violence riffing is also failsafe.

HAR�KJARNI ONLINE (ICELAND)

Loksins n�r sk�tur fr� Out Cold. �g segi sk�tur, �v� a� Out Cold hafa aldrei veri� bl��ir e�a sl�pa�ir. �eir hafa �valt veri� hryfla�ir og gr�fir. A� sj�lfs�g�u er �a� tilfelli� h�r. �a� ver�ur �� a� koma fram a� �essi plata er mun meira hlj��-unnin en fyrri verk �eirra. �eir spila enn gruff 80's hardcore �n �ess a� kl��ra �v� me� einhverju meira n�t�manlegum �hrifum. Samt eru meiri rokk-�hrif h�r en ��ur, �n �ess �� a� vera eitthva� "yeah-rock-man" rusl. K�l a� heyra bassann svona hreinan og framalega. Sneril tromman er samt of f�n. Out Cold er eitt af vanmetnustu hc/punk b�ndum samt�mans og �a� getur vel veri� a� Goodbye Cruel World s� �eirra besta verk til �essa. �n efa a�gengilegra en fyrri verk, n�g rokk fyrir �vana og n�g af hr��um hland-k�flum til a� setja upp tv�falda-hrysstings-finger'pointi�. Reddi� ykkur �essu og skeri� ykkur � gleri. Paunk fyrir fullor�na.

Pressing history:

FORMAT	PRESSING	DATE	QUANTITY	DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC
CD	1	February 2005	992