Blood Red may be one of the latest hopefuls from the Long Island, NY scene but they are definitely not a "new" band as they feature within their ranks former Silent Majority frontman Thomas Corrigan along with the remnants of Inside. Considering that both of the aforementioned bands left quite a mark in the Long Island area, going on to inspire a wealth of artists including the likes of current golden boys Glassjaw and more, the band should have no problems turning heads in their latest incarnation. With a demo (which featured a guest appearance from Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw) and an EP already under their belt, Blood Red have quickly begun to stir up a fair bit of interest for themselves and now with this, their full-length debut landing in stores through Initial Records it looks as though this reincarnation of two former scene luminaries are set to reach new heights.

With a distinct vocal delivery Thomas Corrigan's emotive croons and screams are quite recognizable and could probably best be described as a more punk/hardcore minded version of Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw fame, though many might argue that Corrigan himself pioneered the style prior to Palumbo. Whatever the case may be, Corrigan's elastic vocals draw upon a well of reckless emotion which causes his words to sound both heavy hearted and enraged, cautiously slamming back and forth between contrasting moods and injecting the music with an energetic sense of aggression. Guitar wise the album is surprisingly layered, not only bolstering the expected post hardcore/punk jaggedness in the form of sharp distorted riffs, but also incorporating some expansive acoustic strums and a few forays into atmospheric noise. Meanwhile, cumbersome bass lines often make up for the most prevalent of the rhythm sections driving nature and through clever variations and a few sobering moments they succeed in adding their own sense of gravity to the music which in turn is regulated by some crisp drumming. Peppering the tracks with contrasting sharp snare hits and fast paced punchy beats, band drummer Craig Willis skillfully keeps the piercing guitar jangles and eclectic vocal excursions regimented while the thick humble bass lines steadily set the pace, establishing a formidable rhythm section overall.

An interesting listen, "Hostage" runs a gamut of styles, from the stark and desolate solemness of the piano/vocal driven "Our Lady Of Mayhem" to the straight ahead volatile charge of "City Mouse" and the heavy hearted experimentalism of "Suburbia". Such diversity enables the group to offer up more than one would expect as the album sounds surprisingly well rounded. Sure it can be a bit overly eager at times and the songs distinct rawness will likely turn away more than a few listeners, but this is also part of its charm as its rough around the edges nature makes it all the more pure and uncommercial. Good and bad qualities aside though, their music is definitely an acquired taste and one that many of the mainstream audience will probably never understand; But for those looking for a more rootsy traditionally NY post hardcore flavored release, "Hostage" can't be beat. In fact, if anything this album is living proof that despite the rot being inflicted by the commercialism and attention currently being thrust upon the whole post hardcore/indie scene, Long Island is still living up to its Strong Island namesake.