NAYSAYER
Laid To Rest
[Reaper Records]
Verdict: 9/10

Hailing from Richmond, Virgina; NAYSAYER are not a band to be messed with. NAYSAYER comes out swinging with their first full length, Laid To Rest. The album starts out with the thunderous track, “Follow Blind”, immediately the influence of New York City hardcore sound is immidiate, reminding the listener of MADBALL at times, but most of the time a brutal assault more similar to DEAD END PATH, TERROR, and FORFEIT. The band made their mark on the hardcore scene with their last EP, 2009′s No Remorse. It put ears to the ground, eagerly waiting for more and it is easily to see that they were not waiting in vein. From beginning to end the album is strong and assaulting, it simply doesn’t let go of the churning bass riffs and the barking vocals. Not to mention featuring some guest vocals from David Wood of DOWN TO NOTHING, David Herzing of FIRE & ICE, & Jim Williams of MAXIMUM PENALTY. Every song on Laid To rest is a high point, there isn’t a single track that doesn’t satisfy the listener. It is one of those albums you listen to a track and hope the next one is just as good, and in this case, it holds to be true. Some people may not enjoy the band because the songs do follow the same format. Occasionally you’ll hear a tad bit of thrash influence, but for the most part the songs are structured the same. The lyrics are really what put this album above the rest. On the track “Keep Walking” Gary Gunwald passionately yells, “We don’t need you, we don’t want you or the bullshit you create. We don’t have a thing in common and we will never relate. You’re fucking scum, we won’t let you in.” Some people may disregard this band, seeing them as nothing more than another tough guy hardcore act, but that is anything but the truth, these guys are as real as it gets. Laid To Rest is an impressive first showing of what these guys can do and you can only expect the best from this upcoming hardcore band. -Nicholas Mitchell (guest contributor)