Witness

A very short album at only 26 minutes, but despite that short runtime Modern Life is War manage to fill Witness with a lot of emotional and melodic power. This is a post-hardcore record with strong elements of hardcore punk and emocore. Genre wise it reminds me a lot of the Fucked Up album on here, and I see other people have pointed out MLIW's potential influence on the band.

A big understated strength of this album is how well it flows, the transitions are smooth and consistent and make the album feel like an experience rather than just a collection of songs, and it helps each song build on one another. Also makes the album feel shorter than it is, which is impressive considering it's already short runtime

I can see the vocals being a sticking point for most people, but I quite like it, they're very powerful and channel the emotional impact of the lyrics well. Deadramones is a very good song but I think the band excels when they're wallowing in misery a little more.

Should it be on the main list: You could make a strong case for it, and honestly I'm leaning towards yes.

Top 3 songs: The Outsiders (aka Hell is for Heroes Pt 1), Martin Atchet, Hair Raising Accounts of Restless Ghosts (aka Hell is for Heroes Pt 2)

Kelpo HC-levy

It blends together. It's not quite all the same song, but it's not far off. However, it goes hard and there is definitely a mood for it.

Really solid emotional hardcore. Hell yeah honestly.

Favourite songs: Young Man Blues, Martin Atchet, D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S., The Outsiders (aka Hell is for Heroes, Pt. 1), Young Man on a Spree

Least favourite songs: John and Jimmy

5/5

I am so goddamn tired of hardcore on here

I think there's probably better acts in this subset of punk music, it is a little derivative, unfortunately , but that doesn't mean it doesn't absolutely rip, and the short runtime is fantastic.

He's gonna need a strepsil! Hell of a heavy, and a hell of an album. What a band

Just a bit angry for my Monday morning commute

I wasn’t expecting much going in since hardcore isn’t usually my genre, but this floored me. Witness avoids the standard breakdown clichés and instead goes for something slower, heavier, and more melodic. That restraint makes the brutality hit harder.

The vocals can be a grind and I can see how they’d put people off, but I got used to them quickly. What matters is how much emotion they carry. The lyrics add another dimension. Songs like Marshalltown capture small-town frustration, anger, and restraint in a way that feels raw but thoughtful. It's personal and political.

D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S. is more upbeat and immediate, showing they could step outside the gloom without losing power.

At 27 minutes it’s the perfect runtime: intense, emotional, and over before the weight of it wears off. I ended up loving this far more than I expected.

4,5*