Album Review: The Rival Mob - 'Mob Justice'

The highly anticipated follow up to the band’s 2010 “Hardcore For Hardcore” EP, released through the legendary Revelation Records, “Mob Justice” certainly doesn’t disappoint. If you have been following the band up until now, you know the story, members have done time in the likes of Mind Eraser, Righteous Jams, Mental and XfilesX, just to scratch the surface, and have been one of the most consistently hyped bands in hardcore since their formation, and from the band’s output and live show up until now, the hype has been completely justified.

You may be familiar with a few of the songs on the album if you have heard the promo tape that was released mid last year, but the tracks have all been re-recorded for the album, and the difference in recording is enough to differentiate the tracks and breathe some new life into them. The first two tracks on the album being two of those, and that combination of “Intro Grunt” paired with the album’s title track, kicks things off in a strong way. The band’s front man Brendan Radigan stated before the band’s set at This Is Hardcore last year that “Intro Grunt” is “made for one thing: moshing really fucking hard” and I can’t see the band failing in that objective.

One of the most easily identifiable traits of The Rival Mob up until now has been the aggressive and no bullshit lyrics from Radigan, and this continues on “Mob Justice”. Some of the high points of this are “Fake Big”, “Be Somebody” and “Self-Esteem”, and although they aren’t breaking any new ground, they are super honest, which is what you come to expect from a Rival Mob record. “Fake Big” also sees Hoodrack of War Hungry and Stick Together stepping up to the microphone for a verse, which is highly enjoyable, and I can only imagine how wild that section would be during the band’s live show.

The Rival Mob aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel with this record, but what they have done is put out a record that contains 12 solid, pissed off hardcore tracks that will have you captivated listen after listen. The previously released tracks from the promo tape may be the best songs on the record, but that is not to discredit the rest of them, you won’t find any snoozers on this LP.

If you haven’t been on board with The Rival Mob thus far, you have been missing out, but now is as good time as ever to involve yourself. Pick up a copy of “Mob Justice” as it is bound to be one of the best hardcore records released in 2013.

1. Intro Grunt

2. Mob Justice

3. It Must Be Nice…

4. Boot Party

5. Life Or Death

6. Fake Big

7. Be Somebody

8. Friendly Freaks

9. The Brutes Of Force

10. Self-Esteem

11. Cheapo Grosso

12. Thought Control