Darkness, She Was The Universe Review from No Country for New Nashville
Quick Take: Canada isn’t typically the first place that comes to mind when we think about hardcore, yet just liked Fucked Up before them, The New Enemy have proven Toronto knows a think or two about bringing it. Unlike Fucked Up, however, The New Enemy are firmly and wholly rooted in the D.I.Y. ethic that was once a defining characteristic of the genre. Unsigned, seemingly unrepresented for the most part, and leveraging BandCamp as their only means of distribution to give away their album for free (with a “name your own price” option where all proceeds go to benefit a homeless shelter), it’s impressive to note just how high a level of artistry at which The New Enemy are operating. Read More
Darkness, She Was The Universe Review for About.com (NYTimes)
Ryan Cooper from About.com’s Punk Rock Guide gave shakedown a 5/5 review.
Back in 2009, I got my hands on the Shakedown EP by Toronto’s The New Enemy and was immediately sucked in by a band that played tight furious old school hardcore. The band has continued in that vein, and now they’re self-releasing their debut full-length Darkness, She Was The Universe and you have to ask – have the years been kind to this hard-spun, yet unsigned band? Have they maintained their intensity that has brought them accolades, if not a record deal?
And the answer to that is, “you betcha.”On Darkness, She Was The Universe, the band is reaching to new heavy heights, mixing retrospective hardcore with elements of metal and crossover thrash into an aggressive heavy mass that’s once again ready to slap you up and down, harshly punctuated by gravelly vocals. Read More
Clint Interviewed by About.com
Ryan Cooper from About.com talks about the band and Toronto Hardcore with Clint.
For several years now, Toronto’s The New Enemy has been making some great hardcore records, releasing them online with a pay-what-you-like model, and donating the proceeds to charity. 2009 saw the release of their Shakedown EP, six tracks of blistering hardcore which rolled in at just over 15 minutes and made me question why the band was unsigned. Now, with the November 6 release of Darkness, She Was The Universe, the band has put out their first full length, continuing their run as a solid band and leaving me still wondering why this band has yet to catch the eye of a label. We connected with The New Enemy frontman Clint McLean to talk more about the band’s history, their work with charities, and the nature of the Canadian hardcore scene.
RC: So how did you guys come together?CM: Luke (guitar) and I grew up together, and played together in a jokey punk band that did occasional house party shows. We wanted to do something more serious, actually recording, releasing and touring a bit. We began writing songs with a variety of friends, and then started looking for actual band members. Chris (drums) came to The New Enemy through the Toronto scene, having played in other local bands. Christian (bass) was Chris’ old roommate, and they’d played together in bands. We’re all about the same age, with similar musical tastes and senses of humor, so practicing and playing shows is always a good time. Read More
