Review: We Ride - "Directions"

Madrid, Spain’s We Ride is a four-piece bundle of contemporary hardcore in the same musical vein as Madball, Terror and Death Before Dishonor. Except they’re female-fronted by a vocalist who sounds like a prepubescent 12-year-old boy.

It actually doesn't sound as weird as it may seem once you realize it’s a female behind the mic, and that factor alone plunks them into the same pool as Reaching Hand, Bitter Verses, Oathbreaker and the other few European hardcore bands that boast a female vocalist.

But We Ride takes a bit more basic approach to modern hardcore, with moshy, drop-D (or drop C#?) progressions and well-placed breakdowns to set the pit ninjas’ limbs ablaze. The lyrics are almost all in English (aside from the Spanish hip-hop “Epilogue” and some of the backing vocals) but are still only semi-intelligible. From what I can understand they seem about standard fare--if not slightly more progressive--than the hardcore norm, with tracks like “A Call to Revolution” and ‘Us Against the World.”

Some of the album's best moments come in the competent and anthemic sing-alongs like in “Young Heart” and the aforementioned “Us Against the World,” as well as the 40-second pit-churner “Time to Shine.” The lackluster spots manifest with hardcore clichés like “My Life, My Dreams” and “False Promises.” I’m not entirely sure what to make of the Spanish hip-hop “Epilogue.” It’s not terrible, but it doesn't fit at all, with no semblance to the rest of the album and seemingly no thematic connection to the whole.

We Ride is not the best female-fronted hardcore band in Europe, but they have a nicely-developed sound and even decent lyrics considering the handicap. Fans of modern tough-guy hardcore should do themselves a favor and give this tough-girl hardcore effort a shot.