Give Up the Ghost - Year One

Usually I would assume a release like Year One is merely a cash-in for the label, but that's not the case this time. Legal matters have kept the majority of this material from still being available under the moniker "American Nightmare", so for all of you who never managed to get ahold of the earlier EPs, you're now in luck. Considered by many to be Give Up the Ghost's best work (and my personal favorite), Year One showcases the band's first 2 EPs, some covers (The Trouble, Cro-Mags, MC5), and a few live from the BBC tracks tacked on at the end. Before there was Give Up the Ghost, there was American Nightmare, a band who helped define the hardcore scene on the east coast more than most any band has in the last few years. This record covers the more raw and pure aspect of the group's career. Recommended listening: "Hearts", "The Day the Music Died", "Protest Song #00". Under either name, the band never did anything better than this. A must-have for any fan of the new stuff, as well as a good introduction to the current state of hardcore. [www.bridge9.com]