Metal Underground.com

Terror is a tested and true hardcore band, no doubt about it - a group that has always maintained integrity and vision without wavering too far off course. For some the Terror formula may be a bit stale, but for those who appreciate a great hardcore record the band’s latest full-length offering “Live By The Code” will serve as an excellent addition to HC collections everywhere.

The record starts off with “The Most High,” which is a slower and more methodically delivered track that features a positive and uplifting message. The song also contains a nicely placed guitar lead which fits with the overall song quite well. The use of melodies and leads is one of the things that sets “Live By The Code” apart from other recent hardcore releases and these sounds only build and improve as the record goes on, sometimes even leading to some impressive solos.

Some people often say “if you’ve heard one hardcore song, you’ve heard them all,” but that adage certainly doesn’t describe the content found on “Live By The Code.” Every track has a unique identity that separates it entirely from the other songs. “The Good Die Young” is a frantic cut with a distinct old-school punk atmosphere and a thrashy middle section. “Hard Lessons” has a slower, thumping riff and a chorus that will have live crowds chanting back in unison. The title track brings the unrivaled intensity that Terror has been known for throughout the entirety of its career and will fit well into any set-list the band may come up with for live shows.

While “Live By The Code” is one of the better hardcore releases in quite some time, anyone who is a fan of the band will be quick to tell you that the true Terror experience is had out on the floor at a live gig, not through headphones or speakers. However, it is without question that any of the eleven tracks featured on the album will translate perfectly over to a live setting and those fans will surely be in a frenzy from the opening chord to the last note.