It’s been a turbulent year for straightedge moshers Liferuiner. After releasing No Saints, arguably the heaviest hardcore album of 2007, the singer was kicked out for allegedly having sex with a minor, then a label change and then fill in singer Danny Surjanac and drummer Shane Tyrer were recently arrested for 28 counts of graffiti.
There’s also been some changes musically, as gone is the uber hefty production from Ion Dissonance’s Antoinne Lussier, replaced with Jamie King and gone are the humorous samples that littered No Saints, replaced with more serious samples. Then of course, former vocalist Johnny OC is not around for this album (though there are rumors circulating at late as this weekend that he is back in the band floating around), and Taking Back the Nightlife seems to have a lot of anger directed at their former singer, who wasn’t exactly sticking to the straight edge mantra while bellowing hymns of a straight edge lifestyle on the debut.
What hasn’t changed is the sheer tangible heft that Liferuiner exude. Arguably only topped by The Acacia Strain’s Continent, Taking Back the Nightlife is a punishing, rumbling exercise in E chord devastation, that’s simple yet effective and quite simply one of the heaviest hardcore acts around. Admittedly, vocalist Danny Surjanac isn’t the vocal presence that Johnny OC was on No Saints, but he’s not (allegedly) nailing underage (apparently only in the US) kids.
Musically, even with a slightly less stout Jamie King production, Liferuiner are still a rumbling, force of nature when it comes to simple, resonant breakdowns and thunderous bass drops. Tracks like opener “Doug Burns to Death”, “megaDEATH”, “Headbang Over”, “Ameranthine”, and especially vitriolic hidden track “Suck My Dick” (after a prolonged silence),are just simply pummeling. However, I personally think No Saints, pedo singer and all, is the superior and heavier record, which I still play regularly much to my neighbors chagrin.
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I definitely want to get their first album.
Haha, I have to say though, I am so confused by the line-up changes, and whatnot.
You said a lot more than I knew of the band.
But, I enjoyed the review. I’ll check out the first album though.
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 08:13Welcome Adam, and thanks for the nice words in the Hereafter An Odyssey review
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 08:48Man I had heard these guys were pretty heavy, but given the fact that they have a song titled “suck my dick” pretty much guaranties I won’t be checking em’ out. I’m just as guilty of being as “scene” as the next metalhead and I like me some hardcore/deathcore/whatever just like everyone else (even if they won’t admit it) but these bands need to start finding some vocalists who can actually form sentences and write them without using every foul word they can think of.
I actually bought the new Emmure record, but after reading the lyrics I can’t see myself listening to it much. It’s some of the stupidest stuff I’ve ever heard. I don’t care how brOOtal you are if you write lyrics like a mad 5th grader.
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 09:01Im pretty sure the “Suck my Dick” song is directed at the former vocalist.
Either way The Acacia Strain’s Continent blows this and teh Emmure away. So goddamn heavy.
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 09:39My name is Greg Moore, I manage liferuiner.
Lets get a few things straight. Jonny oc IS the vocalist on this record. Danny filled in for 10 shows, two months after the record was recorded in January 2008. Just look at the liner notes…
Jonny has never been charged with anything in his entire life and the rumors were proven false MONTHS ago with the originator publicly admitted to making them up.
Glad I could clear this up.
ALSO, be on the lookout for a new record in early 2009…bringing the sound back to no saints and the liferuiner demo.
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 13:22I’m guessing that “suck my dick” is in no way related to the old Carnivore song. I’m also guessing Aaronius has never heard Carnivore, I think the “Retaliation” lyrics would make his head spin!!! :)
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 17:16You’re an idiot, if you’re going to reveiw something atleast have your facts straight. That’s me on the new and old record and I quit the band because my mother was dying of cancer. I changed my vocals because it felt more comftorble and natural instead of forcing anything. Suck my dick was the first song ever written by liferuiner as a joke.
good day.
on Jul 30th, 2008 at 19:29Thanks Greg and Johnny for clearing all that up guys. I apologize-you might have your label and pr folks have such information more publically availibale to the media, with the press sheet or maybe even in the CD. i looked all over to try and see the line up and could not find it, and never found anything to refute the rumors. My review is based on the facts at the time. calling me an idiot doesnt really take away from the other rumors ive read about you which i left out. Either way, vocals are much weaker on this.
on Jul 31st, 2008 at 07:27Fuck this dumbass band. Saw them in Toronto, about 25 minutes of bullshit tough guy posturing before the show got shut down.
on Jul 31st, 2008 at 16:09im not sure if that really is the singer from liferuiner but if it is, wow fuck him what an unprofessional asshole. grow up and stop playing shitty myspace breakdown hardcore aimed at 15 year old high school kids.
on Jul 31st, 2008 at 23:53johnny looks like andy milonakis lol
on Aug 1st, 2008 at 16:24terrible bad and lol @ “manager” and “johnny”.
this band is god awful, their songs suck, their lyrics suck, everything about them sucks. oh, and johnny’s fat as shit.
on Aug 12th, 2008 at 20:53I couldn’t give less of a shit about rumors about the band members, but it is nice to know that the vocalist is the same on this one, so thanks for clearing that one up guys. Anyhow, I didn’t think this one was as good as “No Saints” initially, but over time I have to say it’s a superior record. Songs like “You Look Better When You’re Drunk” and “You Use Dirt as a Metaphor for Life” and the title track and “Bad Rock Anthem” by far lay to waste anything on the first album, for me. Also “Suck My Dick” is hilarious and probably my favorite song on the album.
on Sep 17th, 2008 at 01:10heaviest hardcore album of 07? you must not get out much.
on Nov 4th, 2008 at 18:31just to clear things up, the website you posted is wrong.
http://www.myspace.com/xlifexruinerx
on Nov 5th, 2008 at 01:56wow…i love ignorant scene bitches.
1. jonny can sing what he wants so until you can do it any better you can go ahead and “suck his dick” if blink182 can write immature lyrics so can LR?
2. liferuiner, the acacia strain, emmure. if you’re comparing them why can’t you enjoy them all?
3. so what if LR caters to 15 year olds? there are copious amounts of them. more power to LR for playing the market. good business move.
so fuck you fuck this fuck your motherfuckin life you hate-mongering scene cunts!
on Dec 7th, 2008 at 23:59oh…and as far as the music sucking i hope someone slaps you with a dildo.
in terms of technicality the music is simple. now, compare that to the intense sound…thats hard to do.
i’m sorry if LR isn’t up to par with your guitar masturbating metal bands but simple is catchy. don’t get me wrong, i love shredders but sometimes i like to listen to music and not think about it.
on Dec 8th, 2008 at 00:18Wow the reviewer is stupid
Johnny OC was on this album, he did do vocals, and he never got kicked out for fucking an underage girl, now whether or not he did is something completely different, but, he left because his mother was sick
on Dec 10th, 2008 at 23:03and all those bash songs are against Doug, and suck my dick was written in 2005,so def not about JOC
learn abuot the band before u review please
5th grade lyrics or not if you aint into this band then your a faggot and ill fight your ass for bein such a little bitch..FUCK YOU!!! FUCK THIS!!!! FUCK YOUR MOTHER FUCKING LIFE!!! I WANNA CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU AND WATCH YOU SLIP AWAY!!! I WANNA BREATHE YOUR DEATH AND WATCH YOU DECAY!!! ILL RUIN YOUR HOPE AND SWALLOW YOUR DREAMS!!! I AM RUIN, THE RUIN OF EVERYTHING!!! thats for the haters out there..fuck your life
on Feb 19th, 2010 at 17:26I love this band, and this album is my favorite. They have a unique way of making their music surround you. This is an album you have to feel, before you can honestly appreciate it.
I am not a fan of all the lineup changes, with no authorized information. They should really let fans know what’s up.
This is an angry “Fuckyou” album, it’s not meant to have sympathy, or any form of rationality. It’s meant to express an emotion of pure anger. Which it does superbly.
AndLastly,
on Mar 26th, 2010 at 15:20I’msixteen.
Greg Moore is a greedy piece of shit.
on May 15th, 2010 at 19:35It’s pretty apparent by the content and maturity of several of these comments that Liferuiner NAILED their target demographic to the T. If you don’t like a reviewer’s opinion, don’t hang out here, no one is forcing you to read a website that primarily caters to metal and it’s off-shoots as opposed to hardcore or mosh music. It’s pretty funny though that almost 2 years later, neanderthals are still getting this butt-hurt over a simple review! Just quit trolling the internet and get back to crowd-killing innocent kids at shows like you always do.
on May 17th, 2010 at 03:39what’s really funny is that if these dumbasses ran into Erik at a show and said these things to his face, he’d crush them. he is not some skinny little metal geek.
on May 17th, 2010 at 08:17