Search - Shotmaker :: The Complete Discography 1993-1996

Beautiful hardcore/'emo'

Chris | Kansas | 01/13/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the complete works of the fantastic band shotmaker. I've been a fan of this band since I picked up their LP with Maximillian Colby (another great band from the time) in a used record shop. I prefer the first cd of this two disc set (their later and more "melodic", if thats the right term, releases), however their earlier work has some real gems as well (the 'Crayon Club' LP and various 7" releases.) In the liner notes it's noted that all but the tracks from the "Mouse Ear/Forget Me Not" LP are recorded off the vinyl records, due to DAT tapes being lost. Honestly, I think that the pops, clicks, and hisses of the records make this release sound all the better, as they are not so prevelant as to being annoying (or even noticable if you aren't looking for them.) That all said, this two cd set gets only four stars instead of five for the simple reason that the band wasn't doing anything different at the end of their career than at the beginning, they played it hard and fast for the few short years they existed and rarely wandered from that formula, which makes for an almost exhausting listen if you hear both disc's back to back. The lyrics can also be quite on the esoteric and vauge side at times. However, all in all this is a great retrospective of a great band. I only wish I hadn't been in elementary school when they were in existence and could have gone to a show, heh. This is music from back when "emo" meant "emotional hardcore" and had yet to be stripped of all valid meaning and tossed around by the ever-trendy and MTV to push things such as Dashboard Confessional (which isn't terrible music, but that's a subject for another review.) Buy it. Love it."

A Masterpiece

mensachicken | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | 12/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I once went to a small club to see the Archers of Loaf. I got there early as I usually do and a band I'd never heard of took the stage. They were a three piece and they rocked like no band I'd ever seen. They were from Belleville, Ontario (middle of nowhere) and they were Shotmaker. They mopped the floor with The Archers of Loaf. I immediately bought the two records they had available (one cd and one vinyl) and now Troublemanunlimited has put both those records and some extras together on this superb package. One of my favorite records; the greatest hardcore songs I own; the best Canadian rock band ever. rip."

The pentultimate hardcore band of all-time!

consumer123 | Los Angeles, CA | 09/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of course, many would disagree with my title for this review for pretty much stating my otherwise strong opinion as fact, but if you are a fan of hardcore(non-sXe) music, Shotmaker is the bottom line. I never had the honor of seeing them live, but from the first time I heard their stuff on my friend's vinyl I was completely and utterly blown away. Their violent rhythm and pure electric firepower annunciated by each of the three members' tearing vocals in such a familiar but new way got me shaking every time I turned them on. This complete anthology is one of the best collections of any band, much less one that epitomizes the brutally naked power of hardcore."