Paint it Black - Paradise

Paradise covers little new ground for Paint it Black--they're still as pissed off and political as ever, but maybe a bit more focused this time around. Although, 14 songs in 21 minutes is quite a feat. Dan Yemin & Co. still resemble past Yeminisms--Kid Dynamite, Lifetime--only harsher. "Election Day" is a biting display of Paint it Black, ending with the line "who needs DC when we've got D4," and I have to say that any band giving props to Dillinger Four is worth hearing. "Pink Slips" shows a little more melody in the music, but kicks into energy you'd expect to see at hardcore shows circa 1984. Which brings us to another point about Paint It Black: These songs could have been written virtually at any point in the past twenty years. To go into further detail about individual songs would be a waste of my time and yours; if you like the first song, you'll like the entire album. It's fast; it's loud; it's hard; and it's short. It's hardcore. A damn good display of hardcore, if you ask me, but not so much to limit Paint It Black only to that one scene. Bad points? There are none, save for the fact that this album seems to be over before you realize it has started. Besides that, Paint It Black knows what they're doing. Sharing members with other noteworthy bands of past and present gives this band an edge and experience, and they're using those tools to the best of their abilities. [www.paintitblack.org]