Besides having a name that every hardcore kid should take to heart, Philly's Lighten Up! is the biggest breathe of fresh melodic hardcore air that I have taken since discovering The Steal.
With their debut LP "Absolutely Not!" the band blazes through 12 melt-facing songs in under 18 minutes.
The first song "Invisible Checks" with it's heavy-soon-turned-melodic-straight-to-some-whoas-then-fuck-it's-over-already you pretty much know what Lighten Up! is all about: fast, pissed, yet fun music that is sure to induce plenty of stage dives. I've must have listened to "Absolutely Not" at least 4 times in the past 24 hours.
Easily one of the best albums released in 09.
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Not simply a throwback to early ’80s hardcore, Lighten Up. play fast and pissed off hardcore in a time when hardcore bands call Slayer more of an influence than Minor Threat or Bad Brains (even though we love slayer). Calling Philadelphia home, this young four-piece has released a demo, two 7”s, and a new full length called “Absolutely Not” out now on Jumpstart Records. www.jumpstartrecords.com
(description stolen, then changed from jumpstartrecords.com)

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