Mouthpiece

Rounding out the youth crew era of straightedge hardcore, New Jersey's Mouthpiece developed quite the following despite never breaking through to the masses. In their brief yet explosive career (pretty much the early '90s), three albums were thrown to the masses. Now, in an effort to revive some of their pastiche, Revelation compiles those affairs into one 25-track, hour-long blast of Minor Threat-inspired, tinny production and high-pitched barking that define such outfits. While some of the music is appreciable on nostalgic levels, one has to admit that there's nothing unique about Mouthpiece. Songs only vary between half-time chug riffs ringing away underneath a caterwauling singer or blast forth in minute-long bursts of drug-free aggression. It's modestly interesting to someone who was there, or to newcomers looking for underground clout, but in the long run, there's little of lasting substance, making it difficult to fully embrace Can't Kill What's Inside.