COALESCE - OX

Coalesce were one of my favourite hardcore bands back in the day so when I heard they were getting back together to record a new album and play some shows, I was extremely excited. Coalesce are of the hardcore bands from the late 90s whose material holds up exceptionally well today compared with some of their peers. This most likely comes down to the fact that at the time they were putting material out, no other band sounded like them. They were either really far ahead of their time of just so unique that nobody dared, or could indeed, copy them. Many have tried to imitate them over the years I can't say anyone has done it successfully yet.

OX was an album that saw Coalesce moving forward. They didn't get back together and record an album that sounded exactly like their past work but it was still unmistakably them. To be honest if they'd recorded another "Give Them Rope" or "Functioning On Impatience" I wouldn't have been complaining but the new direction was welcome.

Possibly better for me than the new album was the European Tour they would be doing to support it. I'd never seen Coalesce live before and I was exceptionally pleased that I'd get the chance to do so. I wasn't let down. I saw them in London and it was definitely one of the best live shows I'd attended in recent years. With so many bands from around their original era getting back together for who knows what reason, it was refreshing to see a band get back together for what appears to be the sole reason of playing the music they love for themselves and their fans.

I picked up the LP at the show. They had the black which was limited to I believe 400. I was also lucky enough to get a set list!