Band : Onesta
Album title : We Got Game
Label : Good Life Recordings
Distributor : Good Life Distribution
Release date : 15/12/2008
Release : CD

Featuring founding members of Apocalypse Now and Count To React (both acts with albums out, the first on GSR, the latter on Filled With Hate), Paris-based Hardcore act Onesta (line-up consisting of singer Stan B., guitarist Tony J., bassist Mario A.D. Carmo, and drummer C. Lambert) was formed in 2005 (the year that shook the capitol city so much with youths running amok allover, following the electrocution dead of two kids when they hid from police in an electricity cabin – what the FUCK were they doin’ THERE anyway?) with the intent to bring forth their love for Metal-fused New York styled Hardcore!

Thanks to the bandmembers’ former experiences in the music business, they were soon seen playing support slots for the likes of Born From Pain, Madball, Hoods, and No Turning Back, and a European tour with Billy Club Sandwich and Backfire! Soon propelled the band to the top of the European Hardcore scene. Following two demos, the band got signed to quality Hardcore label Goodlife Recordings, who issued Onesta’s Alan Douches mastered debut full-length Back To Reality in October 2007 to raving reviews! Today, the Parisian quartet are considered the new European Harcore Hopes, and with an album such as We Got Game, the band stands to fulfill their destiny!

The band’s lyrics are definitely angry, and the groove laden Metal-infused Hardcore (very Madball and Biohazard influenced, but also something with a face of its own thanks to the vocal delivery) brings out the aggression of ‘em perfectly! The lead singer gets frequent one-liner “gang” style backings. According to the bio provided with out promo copy, the band has matured to bring even groovier and harder songs, containing more singalong parts and breaks than ever! The band itself also claims to have influences from Hip Hop, but I ain’t sure just whére I’m supposed to look for that…unless perhaps in the 31-second movie sample used to open the album (titled “Sunrise”)? I’m guessing the 31-second “Arms Dealers” is yet another sample from that same movie. The only truly discernable Hip Hop influence you can actually hear on the album comes with the outro, where a drum machine-like percussion is used over a very nice piano and orchestrated keyboard.

In spite of the positive mention I would give the band’s highly infectuous music, I dó have one very negative criticism. In all, you only get 10 actual songs, and with the length of those varying between 1:35 and 3:10, a complete listening session of the album doesn’t even take 23 ½ minutes! But because there’s 12 tracks on the album, we’re supposed to be content enough with its length?! Bah! I mean, Hardcore freaks must wànt to be exploited with albums of such “length”! Okay, all “joking” aside, surf to myspace.com/onesta to find two tracks off the album posted (alongside two more off the debut). Wanna check the band out in live conditions? Can do, as the guys are on a European tour starting January 14 (check the MySpace page for more details)!

86/100

Tony.