Review: Comeback Kid – Die Knowing

Most reviews of Comeback Kid are mired in the details of the band’s circumstance, singers, Victory Records, etc. Here’s the deal: Die Knowing is one of the most energetic and invigorating hardcore records I’ve heard in a while. This is precisely what a modern, straight-up hardcore record should sound like, containing what is expected of the genre plus an emphasis on punk attitude. The whoooaaas sound fresh, there are plenty of sing-alongs and the breakdowns don’t feel obligatory. The energy is so infectious on this album that you can easily envision the stage dives, circle pits and finger points it will undoubtedly inspire during a live set. Die Knowing is a well-produced studio album, but it’s the transfer of the kinetic energy of a live show which makes it. Even more so than the songs contained within, this is Die Knowing’s greatest strength. –Peter Fryer