Witness is the second album released by Iowa hardcore quintet Modern Life Is War, released in 2005 via Deathwish Inc. This is the last M.L.I.W. album to feature Chris Honeck on bass and Matt Hoffman on guitar, as both members would leave the band after the album's release. The album cover was created by Converge singer J. Bannon, and features an image of Main Street, Marshalltown - the city in Iowa where the band members are from - taken in 1896. Building on the success and hype of M.L.I.W.'s previous album, 2003's My Love. My Way., Witness became a watershed record for the band, selling well in hardcore circles and achieving acclaim from numerous music publications and website reviews. It is normally considered the band's finest release. The song "Martin Atchet" is based on Peter Milligan's graphic novel Skin, which revolves around the story of a young skinhead, Martin Atchitson, who grew up in 1970's London with thalidomide-related birth defects. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, Modern Life is War reissued a remastered version of the album with updated packaging and liner notes on June 2, 2015 followed by a nine-date North American tour.
Witness is a good hardcore album. Outstanding tracks are "The Outsiders (AKA Hell Is for Heroes Part I)" and "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.". I sometimes find the vocals a bit bleak and unconvincing, but the great instrumental part surely makes up for it.
It's hardcore, but a bit more wall of sound in the music-part of it
Screamy emo punk. I consider myself to be a fan of that kind of music, but this was just kinda alright. Better stuff out there.
This kind of reminded me of something good (Rise Against) but it wasn't that.
Lots of passion, but not something I enjoy much.
Why put shite like this on the list??