"Without doubt, this got to be the most furious all out war crossover album of the 80's. Let me just start by saying that this doesn't sound or has anything to do with Agnostic Front's new music formula. This is not melodic punk to make money...so if you are into the new AF crap...man, YOU WILL BE DEEPLY DISSAPOINTED!!!...but never as dissapointed as I could be when I listen to their new poppy skaterock crap. This is the real Agnostic Front in their days of yore!! Listening to this just makes me wanna destroy my place up...which I actually did a couple of times. This is Agnostic Front in their most frantic and violent. Incredible fast, punchy, aggressive and sharp,...Liberty and Justice for works the fine progressive line between trash and hardcore...this is crossover at its finest. Hyper violent riffs, amazing fast drumming by a very young and talented Will Shepler... some of the stuff he plays here is just unbelievable for that time. He wasn't just fast; he was precise ,proggresive and goovie...I mean, we are talking 1987!!! NYHC was not supposed to be this progressive!!! in fact this album is very progressive...not RUSH like progressive, but as progressive as the most talented Trash metal outfit of that time. This is the best part, The riffs...OHH man!! I'm in Heaven. You would not believe the intolerable ammount of guitar riffs this little bastard deliverers... some of the best all time hardcore riffs were recorded for this album....AS SHARP AND AGGREsSIVE AS BARBWIRE! Roger Miret vocal style is just amazing...I love the way he screams for this album...sometimes he even sounds like he is vomiting!!! I'm talking about a guy who changed his singing style for the best and the most creative!!! He sings different in every album, and even though his singing in ONE VOICE is my favorite, the style he experimented with in this record is amazing...I never heard anything like that before and haven't since!. So once again, this is AF at their most talented, violent, aggressive and furious...is you are a lover of TRUE crossover...this is the Magnus Opus of the genre.I hope some day they will return!"
It's not metal by a long shot...
Petar Ticinovic | Vancouver, British Columbia Canada | 06/30/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"...it's fast, tight, intense and aggressive hardcore. Yes, there's some double bass in Will Shepler's superb drumming and some squiggly guitar solos but those alone do not a metal record make, and the lyrics are much more intelligent and better written than most metal bands. Probably Miret's angriest vocal performance, too. Of course Maximum Rock and Roll wrote this off as metal and as lunkheaded right wing skinhead music, what with the Iron Cross cover of "Crucified" and the Pledge of Allegiance intro, well they were completely wrong about AF in the mid-eighties and they were all wet about this record also. Every track rips, so do yourself a favor and get this, enjoy it and read the lyrics too. Soundwise it's a little muddy and it definitely deserves a top-notch remastering and reissue."
Quite Possibly the Best Band To Ever Live
J. Hoekenga | 03/19/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Agnostic Front are the Godfathers of the New York Hardcore Scene. In my opinion, Liberty... is the best album they have ever done. Best song, Crucified. Get this album. You'll love it. YOU'LL LOVE IT!!! I won't insult your intelligence with a bunch of big words to describe their music, if you're into the scene, you'll already know anyway. AF has spawned such bands as Madball(Roger Miret's little brother is the singer), Sick of It All (Craig Setari is the bassist) and heavily influenced countless others. If you want an album to just drink beer to at parties, i'm afraid you'll want to look elsewhere, but if you want an album to get your heart racing, to boost your adrenaline, to live the lifestyle, then this is for you. Remember, there is no justice, it's just us."
Top notch NYHC...
J. Hoekenga | Fort Worth, TX | 04/27/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In my opinion, this release captures the best and most unique aspects of Agnostic Front's groundbreaking sound. After making inroads into metal / hardcore crossover with Cause for Alarm, Agnostic Front struck the perfect balance with this album. You can certainly detect metal influences, but that only serves to toughen and intensify Agnostic Front's In-Your-Face style which would define NYHC. Great release: forceful, relevant, original, uncompromising. A great introduction to AF.
Highlights: "Liberty and Justice," "Strength," "Anthem," "Hypocricy," and an awesome cover of Iron Cross' "Crucified.""
Excellent,
J. Hoekenga | 12/12/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thrash Metal's Godfathers have outdone themselves with this CD. The band has not abandoned its hard core background, but has beefed up its sound to drive their sociopolitical anthems even further. In a day where rock tends to whine, this blast from the past really brings a refreshing kick in the face."