LIFE OF AGONY — River Runs Red (review)

LIFE OF AGONY — River Runs Red album cover Album · 1993 · Hardcore Punk Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
ChaosAngel
Life of Agony surfaced from the same musical scene (early 1990's Brooklyn) that birthed Biohazard and Type O Negative (with whom they shared a drummer, Sal Abruscato). Fittingly, the sound on their debut album, River Runs Red, is somewhere between the two bands, with the hardcore ethos of BH and the general mood of Type O Negative at their most self-deprecating (though in a much more serious vein).

Fair warning time: if you're looking for music that is at all happy, seek life elsewhere. This is far from that. What this is, is a slice of hard life, filtered through hardcore-derived metal. That being said, it is crushingly beautiful (or beautifully crushing, take your pick).

The album does contain a few well-placed "hell yeah" moments (in the vein of tough-guy brotherhood type stuff, very hardcore-style), which keep this from being a monotone of depression and anger.

To be honest, there is only really one thing that detracts a slight bit from this album, and that's the skits (the tracks named after days of the week). They serve as a framing device (and, ultimately, a finale) for the album, and they're not horrible. I just find them a bit extraneous for my tastes.

All in all, a firm addition to any metalhead's collection. Four and one-half well earned stars.
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ChaosAngel wrote:
more than 2 years ago
"When did I become this empty?"

This album actually got me through a lot of hard times. If anyone out there knows this thing, rate it. It (criminally) does not appear on the general list for 1993 (at the time of this writing). If you don't know it, check it out.
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
"
I buried my friend the other day And I saw my life in a different way. It was a cold afternoon for a funeral I did not shed a tear as I watched the snow fall. Is there something wrong with me?"

A favorite of mine this album :-)

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