Crossover kings, Backtrack have returned with their second full length, Lost In Life. Hailing from Long Island, New York, this 5-piece hardcore outfit have set themselves apart from a sea of similar sounding bands through colossal riffs, mammoth grooves and endless energy. Previous effort Darker Half was released through Reaper Records and solidified Backtrack’s place in the scene. Three years later, having moved to Bridge Nine Records – Home to some of the genre’s biggest bands, Have Heart, H2O and Verse to name a few, they are looking to rage their way up the hardcore food chain with Lost In Life.

‘Their Rules’ is a highlight for me, offering everything a hardcore song should: intense vocals, heavy- duty riffs and a bouncing, in your face chorus. After shredding a guitar solo, ‘Their Rules’ chugs into the familiar groove drenched sound of ‘Wash Away’. Backtrack’s drive and determination shines through on every track of this record. Lost In Life is sure to wage war in front of a crowd, especially songs ‘Play Safe’ and title track ‘Lost in Life’. In a similar style to Darker Half, Backtrack knock out some sick guitar solos, which combined with a few well-timed gang vocals, pumps real vitality into this record. If you are a fan of bands like Take Offense, Trapped Under Ice or classic hardcore like Agnostic Front, listening to Backtrack’s Lost In Life could be the perfect way for you to start 2014.

Backtrack manage to switch seamlessly between circle-pit inducing aggression and head-banging groove, without ever losing focus. Lost In Life may not be pushing the boundaries of the genre, but it is nothing less than a flawless hardcore album. Backtrack know exactly how to carve out a bone crunching hardcore record and with the help of producer Nick Jett – Terror, they have delivered just that. Lost In Life will be available to buy from the 14th January and with album art as cool as this, why would you not buy it?

Track list – Lost In Life:

1. Their Rules
2. Wash Away
3. Lost in Life
4. Under Your Spell
5. Nailed To The Tracks
6. Tortured
7. Rot In Your Race
8. Right This Wrong
9. Play Safe
10. Still Searching
11. Guilty Conscience
12. The Way It Is

Backtrack: Facebook / Bridge 9

Written by Alfie Nobes