Youth of Today
's debut full-length,
Break Down the Walls
, sounds like standard New York
hardcore
, but the enormous influence that this disc had on the straight-edge movement is almost immeasurable. Each song is a fast-paced
punk
slugfest, geared toward the group's angry young male fan base. The performances are sloppy but fierce, and the message is a predictable anti-establishment rant. Positivity, clean living, and the benefits of a fully vented spleen are stressed to a raw extreme, thus establishing a
blueprint for the many artists who followed
's example. Highlights include live favorites like
"Make a Change"
and
"Stabbed In the Back."
Ray Cappo
maintains his vocal intensity throughout all 13 tracks (coming in at around 20 minutes), and the band follows suit with passionate performances. A must-own for straight-edge enthusiasts and New York hardcore scholars,
is generally considered one of its genres all-time greats. ~ Vincent Jeffries