Razorcake:
“SEASICK:
Awakenings: 10”
When taking this record out of the sleeve I expected screamo or some generic straight edge band, however I got a pleasant surprise. The music is hardcore reminiscent of mid-’80s bands with hints of metal but never really crossing the line. The lyrics were really good and contained words that may or may not be in the English language. I look forward to future releases from this band. It comes on pretty bumble bee-colored splattered vinyl. –Guest Contributor (BrainDrain)”

scenepointblank.com
“Seasick play fast pissed off political hardcore with plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested. There are some nice little breakdowns and some Integrity-like guitar solos. It reminds me a little bit of the stuff that Ebullition was hawking in the mid 90’s but a lot more fun and catchy. I could see kids that use their dogs as pack mules getting into this band. Punk fucking rock.”
scenepoinkblank.com

Siczine
Seasick
Awakenings
Braindrain Records
Jeff Karbow – Siczine.com

Busting up out of New Brunswick, NJ comes this five piece who play hardcore with some thrash thrown in for good measure. One of the things I really like about the band is how they describe their sound on myspace, “Not AN”. Absolute genius. Not totally sure, but I think this is the first release this guys have put out, aside from the obligatory demo I’m sure.

Starting off this 7 song EP is the track “Myths of the American Meritocracy Pt.1”, which opens up with some feedback and a little drum work until a guitar comes in, playing a nice little melody, this goes on until the :56 mark, and then the band tears into a thrashing riff until they slow it up a bit with a mid paced part with a succinct and well done solo. The next song, “Illusions, Michael” is a fast moving gem clocking out at :59. It opens up with a speedy drum beat over an octave chord until they jump into the song, and they do this again right before the last riff of the song. The third song is the title track, “Awakenings”. This is another fast moving track that highlights plodding basslines and manic shouting. Next up, “Cog In The Casual Machinery” opens with one of the guitars playing a traditional hardcore chord until everyone jumps into the mix and starts to hit you off with some nice rocked out hardcore complete with tastefully placed leads and dive bombs. Up next would be my favorite track of the EP, “Horizon”. The song opens with a short little intro until changing gears into a driving yet catchy riff that features some sweet start and stop drum work right before the end. The sixth track, “Understanding Sentience” has one of the most memorable breaks on the disc, a really well done start and stop breakdown with some nice little lead’ish parts placed in between. Closing out the album out is the song “Ashes, Ruins, Forward Sails” which is a 4:18 long instrumental. Usually I’m not huge into instrumentals closing out a hardcore type record but this shit really showcases the band’s ability to write something other than dope hardcore.

I’m sure there are a lot of people that can appreciate what these guys are touching on in their lyrics. “Myths of the American Meritocracy Pt.1” is one of the most earnest songs I’ve heard lately:

“I know I exhibit telltale signs of [a] pretentious activist. My privilege accords me the chance to whine and scream. Of course I recognize the irony of complaining when I’m in contrast free. At least I acknowledge my status as [a] white male member of the middle class. The differences that you just can’t see is in your apathy as a member of the modern gentry who chooses to believe your affluent life is guilt free, your lack of concern typical, our selfishness it is a myth. Egoists could not live with egoists.”

Other good themes include a song about anarchy (“Awakenings”), a song speaking out against the sheep like mentality of religious followers (“Cog In The Casual Machinery”), a song speaking about how far we’ve come in terms of equal rights for women yet we still have so much more to do (“Horizon”) and a vegan song that tells the listener to think about the pain an animal endures when they are slaughtered for food.

You can’t go wrong by going to record at Atomic Studios because odds are you’re shit will sound good. One of the most prevalent thing about this recording, to me anyway, is the guitar tone. It has a great overdrive tone that works perfectly with the bands blend of hardcore/thrash. The drums sound crisp and on point. I can’t forget about the bass because the tone is awesome and has all the presence you could ask for. Superb placement on the vocals as well. To top it off these guys got this album mastered by Bill Henderson over at Azimuth Mastering.

This label has done a good job thus far putting out good looking records (Lighten Up! is a good example) and this one is no different. The four panel booklet is printed on quality gloss and the yellow used throughout the majority of the layout is eye catching. The design on the front cover looks fucking magnificent. How the designer incorporated the skulls into the butterflies body was a really nice touch. One of the things that stood out to me the most with the layout was how after each set of lyrics there is suggested readings that pertain to the lyrics at hand. I also really liked how the band used quotes from various books that speak on anarchy. And another awesome thing about this layout is the font used, simple but unique.

Rating: 3.7/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: Horizons and Illusions of Michael
Synopsis: This is an extremely solid album and I definitely recommend this, especially to those of you who like their bands socially aware (or vegan too). These guys are intelligent and can write some pretty damn good licks. Considering this album looks so good, I would also suggest to those of you who like vinyl to pick up the 10” version of this album.

Like always, check out songs jams over at the band’s MySpace page, if you like what you hear head over to Braindrain’s for ordering information.

mutinyzine.com
“SEASICK
“Awakenings”
10” Vinyl
Braindrain Records

Seven songs of pure energy! I liked this record the first time I heard it and I’ve been playing it quite a lot since. The band play fast hardcore with some rock’n’roll influenced guitars. The more rocking parts can be found on the records’ two first tracks and after that the songs get a bit more straight on. My absolute favorites are the title track as well as “Cog in the Casual Machinery”. Thoughtful political lyrics throughout the record shows that this band means business. The 10” comes on clear splattered vinyl and the cover artwork, signed Alex Snelgrove, is amazing. Great record!”

Christer, Mutinyzine.com

http://www.punknews.org/review/6393

Saying Seasick plays good, ambitious and intelligently-minded hardcore would perhaps be a bit of an understatement. Not quite completely stooped in `80s hardcore, nor completely immersed in thrash, Seasick instead take bits of both plus a slightly cleaner, modern production to create an impressive, original and refreshing take on it.

Awakenings is a pretty-looking 10” with an absolutely disgusted attitude displayed on it, railing against apathy, greed and religion—and its very own middle-class-privileged bitching it puts forth (“of course I recognize the irony complaining when I’m in contrast free / at least I acknowledge my status as white male member…”) in SAT form (“pray for salvation / consecrate annihilation in spiritual determinism / deliver us from our moral obligation”). Bookended by “Myths of the American Meritocracy Pt. 1” and the instrumental “Ashes, Ruins, Forward Sails,” both with their own prolonged moments of bold, guitar-anchored restraint, in between is Nick Laskowski’s rambled, scratchy singing, fitting as many syllables into each line as possible, and a sickening number of stop-starts and blazing solos.

Seasick strike a wonderful balance of classic influences like Black Flag, Negative Approach and Infest on Awakenings that makes for one of the definite standouts in its genre this year thus far.

3.5 Stars

Reviewed by Brian

Centerfuse
“This band is a lot smarter then I am. They’ve included suggest reading in their liner notes, which tells even a neandrathal like me where they’re getting their inspirations from. Fast, pissed off hardcore, not unlike Tear It Up but with a lot more character leaving me to actually remember each track as opposed to a lot of that fast for fast’s sake stuff that goes in one ear and out the other. They’ve got an awesome hook in the Cog in the Casual Machinery. So they’ve got brains, they’ve got some anger and politic direction and they’ve got an overwhelming amount of music talent. I think Seasick is good enough for the smart glasses & beard crowd, fast enough for the sleeveless cutoff shorts crowd and catchy enough that both crowds won’t mind jumping on top of each other for the mic. I was surprised overall about how well this sounds and how quick its over. Its only an EP but seems to fly right by. I will also give a nod to the awesome artwork that kind of creeped me out, definitely stands in a league of its own, much like the band itself.”
-Joe Hardcore, Centerfuse.net

C-RAP – “Obviously well read, politically charged, or apolitically in this case, anarchically, and demanding to challenge the typical vocabulary of the usual hardcore punk, SeaSick stimulates the body and the mind with their unique brand and sound. The suggested readings in anarchy, atheism, feminism, and taking animals seriously following each song in the notes and lyrics, I found a bit preachy and condescending at first, but save it for two lines in the first song on this EP(?), “Of course I recognize the irony in complaining when I’m contrast free…at least I acknowledge my status as a white male member of the middle class,” that seem in modest or humbling contrast to actually suggesting readings on your record. The passion and beliefs in Awakenings drive SeaSick’s talents as musicians and have always been at the core of this thing of ours. From blast beats to solid fast punk and hardcore to a tasteful few walls of rhythm and a growl or two, the more you listen the more you may discover in Awakening. P.S. great band name. lose the instrumental, it seems like EP filler. One more thing to thank the “bands we steal riffs from,” is so genius. This is a great EP that offers great things on many levels, do not be afraid to discover it and anything else new by Seasick’s record.”