TOE TO TOE: Threats and Facts

Produced by Paul Tag and Toe to Toe

Released: 1995

Like Mindsnare, Toe to Toe are true legends of Australian hardcore, a strangely ironic tag for a genre that often boasts about a lack of idols. Nonetheless, these guys were (or are, one can never be sure we've heard the last of them yet) one of the staunchest pillars of the local HC scene for the best part of a decade, and unlike their aforementioned Melbourne counterparts who come across like a punked-out version of Slayer, Toe to Toe had no metal in their sound whatsoever.

Threats and Facts was the first full length album for the band, released at a time when the Sydney punk scene was at its pinnacle and Toe to Toe seemed to play a dozen gigs a week. Sharp, aggressive and uncompromising, this is nothing more than furious, bare-knuckle punk rock driven by the razorwire guitars of Pete Davies and Justin Owen and fuelled by the raging, unsung snarling from the formidable Scottie Mac. With no pretensions of being anything other than street-level HC that stands for no shit and takes no prisoners, Threats and Facts is more intimidating and fearsome than almost any metal you could name.

I watched Scottie Mac and some of his mates punching on with a bunch of other dudes in the middle of Newtown one night, and that's pretty much what this album's like. Relentless, violent and punishing, all over and done with in the same time it takes to listen to three Opeth songs. Threats and Facts is a classic slice of hardcore no purist should be without.

1. Season of Attrition
2. No Allegiance
3. Crutch
4. Unguided Missile
5. The Edge
6. Goals
7. Justice
8. Chokehold
9. Watch it Die
10. Depend
11. Something to Believe
12. Think

Rating: 98%