This partial assemblage of the classic
Cro-Mags
lineup features bassist
Harley Flanagan
and singer John "Bloodclot" Joseph together again after years of separation. The two musicians had last joined forces on the band's seminal
hardcore
debut,
The Age of Quarrel
.
Dave Holland
(guitars),
Gabby
(guitars), and
Dave DiSenso
(drums) fill out the lineup for this, the group's third studio recording. With music penned by
Flanagan
and original guitarist
Parris Mayhew
, this 1992 release delivers a steady stream of straightforward
metal
Alpha-Omega
bears only a small resemblance to the frenzied, more destructive style that embodied '80s
East Coast hardcore
and on which
the Cro-Mags
' reputation was solidly built. Standout tracks
"The Other Side of Madness"
and
"The Paths of Perfection"
have a relatively subdued, melodic texture that furthers the band's career-long gravitation away from its
roots. While certainly a decent offering, this record falls short of it's creators' best work. ~ Vincent Jeffries