Continuing the trend of reviewing the current and my all time favourites, The Kids We Used To Be definitely comes under the category of all time favourite. A brilliant party hardcore album that I listen to as a summer anthem and a winter killer. I’ll never outgrow this album as it basically defines my character.

The Kids We Used to Be came round during a transition period in Your Demise’s career. Their first album Ignorance Never Dies was a critical success and they looked set to take over the world. However within the band relationships were going nuclear. The lead singer of the band George Noble was a violent, controlling leader who was kicked out for a combination of incidents. Firstly in the “heat of the moment” during a gig Noble kicked guitarist Daniel “Oz” Osborne in the chest causing him serious injury. The second incident happened when the band went to a meeting with a potential American record label. Noble challenged bassist James Sampson to a fight majorly embarrassing the band. A group decision was made to kick Noble out of the band and bring in good friend Ed McRae. Under McRae, Your Demise shrugged off Noble’s control and changed their sound to be about what the band wanted instead of what the lead singer wanted. No more random dub songs, no more growling lyrics and (unfortunately) they dropped their straight edge (not drinking or taking drugs. I’m not straight edge but the bands obsession with weed disappoints me) mentality which Noble forced on them.

Starting track MMX (2010 in roman numerals) is a one finger salute to George Noble, his fans and YD’s haters in general. It’s also a signal that the band has changed. “Your Demise 2010 b***h” is the first sample of McRae’s vocals and they’re satisfying and different compared to Noble’s. “With all our hearts, we write this for ourselves, to anyone who cares and anyone who listens” It’s telling the music scene, this is us. We’re writing what we want. How we want. The first single from the record Miles Away is a track about never being comfortable with yourself. The track is bouncy and fast showing the band’s departure from beat down hardcore to party hardcore.

Life of Luxury is a track about missing home but loving life on the road. It features a melodic cameo from Mike Duce from Lower than Atlantis. Having Duce’s clean vocals allows McRae to really let loose and his vocals are brutal throughout this track. Lead single The Kids We Used to Be is the most poppy, party hardcore track ever. This track is about the bands shock at fame and remembering how they used to play in basements. It’s also a song about regrets and how things are serious now. “So let’s bring back the best years, not giving a f**k being down on our luck, some people say best friends stay the same, I’ll prove you wrong”.  The band have kept it fun so far but Shine On represents a return to beatdown hardcore with the breakdown being as satisfyingly heavy as a bass drop in dubstep is. This track features guest vocals from The Devil Wears Prada frontman Mike Hranica which only increases how brutal this track is.

I give this album 8/10. Even though it’s the band’s second album it may as well be considered their debut. This album represents a clean start for the band and the beginning of an impressive career. I knock a mark off as there are a few dull songs thrown in and it doesn’t feel as polished as their latest album The Golden Age but apart from that this album is solid.

For Fans Of: Last Witness, Letlive

Download: The Kids We Used To Be, Shine On