IN THE FACE OF WAR is:
Ben Sutton - Vocals | C.J. Sutton - Guitar, Vocals | Nate Black - Guitar | Eric Bogan - Guitar | Matt Nelson - Drums

RELEASES:

COMPILATIONS:
Pee Approved Vol. 4 (Pee Records)

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
inthefaceofwar.com | myspace.com

MEDIA:
High Res CD Cover Art | High Res Band Logo

REVIEWS:
World's Appreciated Kitsch [Greece]
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
A fucking great release by the infamous Pee Records, based in Adelaide | Australia.
This is actually a re-release, Australian special one, of 'We make our own luck' with 2 bonus track and an awesome artwork of the 2006 edition (originally released by Detournement Records). In The Face of War come from Indiana, USA, and exist since 2001, if I'm right...
If you are into Bane, Have Heart, Modern Life Is War, Verse, Ruiner, Blacklisted, This Is Hell, Comeback Kid, but you also like a bit the youth crew style and some Youth Of Today tunes, then you should definitely check out this release. I mean, YOU SHOULD!
You know the deal I guess. Deathwish / Bridge 9 inspired hardcore taking influences from the past. But these dudes have something special that makes their music unique, I dunno how to describe it; you have to listen to the songs asap!
Fast, in your face, passionate hardcore, fueled with melodic riffs (sometimes technical I dare to say, 3 guitarists, wtf?), screaming vocals, sing-alongs and an emotional edge for all you modern hardcore scenesters! Read the lyrics, too, they are not your typical one, for sure.
They already have a new release out, 'Everything you heard is true' by Init Records. I haven't listened to any new songs, though.
Fuck... this is great.

Lights Go Out Zine #5 [UK]
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
Amazing hardcore outta Indiana via an Aussie label. The songs are heavy punching with sweet vocals. It’s for fans of Verse, Ruiner and Have Heart. Seriously f+cking impressive stuff, another one of those bands who I’d really like to see play live. This is well worth your time checking out, so do it!
Review by: Mr.T

BLUNT Issue #70
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
Forget trends, forget fashion - neither apply here. Instead, In The Face Of War come off like a mid-'90s hardcore band, the kind not interested in any Rockstar Taste Of Chaos tours, but whose dedication to their art seeps through every note on this, their third album. Indeed you need only look at the lyrics to "Lost Heart" to see that: "We will never lose our passion / There's so much out there worth fighting for / And so much right here worth dying for". Originality may not be the name of the game - the likes of Bane were doing this long before In The Face Of War formed seven years ago - but when there's so much passion on display, sometimes that's all you need.
Rating: 7 / 10
Review by: Rod Yates

MUTINYZINE.COM
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
These guys from Indiana play fast forward, no compromise hard core a la Blacklisted or Ruiner. I like it, I don´t love it, but I like it. What's fun to hear is that ITFOW brings in some metal-sounding guitar parts. I guess that's a thing that makes the band stand out a little bit from what I usually hear in this kind of music. It's a fun thing and it fits the band's songs perfect. Apart from that I find the whole record a bit average. Don't get me wrong, it's a good record, but I just can't find that "little extra something" that I'm looking for in hard core. My favorite track off of "We Make Our Own Luck" is a song called "Suicide". It's the shortest song of the album and by far the best one. If the band would do more raw, short tunes like that one, I'd like 'em better. Anyway, it's an ok hardcore record.
Review by: Christer Davidsson

PEE #42
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
Indiana’s In The Face Of War formed a distant 7 years ago and have no doubt had their share of obstacles and the usual hurdles a great band would easily overcome, and overcome they have. I had never heard of ITFOW until introduced by Mr Pee, and as usual it is always a great band that is relatively unheard of in this part of the world that takes you by surprise and makes you realise just how many other great bands are out there. In The Face Of War play incredibly intense, straight-forward hardcore in the vein of Black Flag, Youth Of Today and Bane to the likes of This Is Hell, Blacklisted, Terror and Comeback Kid. ‘We Make Our Own Luck’ is fast, it’s contagiously melodic yet still raw and fucking ferocious and it’s intimidating in everyway without the need for brutal breakdowns and huge riffs. Front man Ben Sutton’s vocals are addictive and well worthy of every sing-along moment in every track, they are passionate and emotive backing what are inspirational and provoking lyrics. The production is perfect for what resembles in-your-face 80’s youth crew style hardcore and all 13 tracks on this release are simply amazing, energetic and uplifting. ‘We Make Our Own Luck’ was originally released by Detournement Records in 2006, before Pete Pee got his mitts on it tweaking with the track list; there are 2 ripper bonus tracks; and repackaging it all with new amazing artwork. There is not a bad track let alone a mediocre one on this release and if they could bottle what it is In The Face Of War produce, there are many, many hardcore bands around at the moment that could do with a good dose of this. One of the best CDs of 2008 right here.
Rating: 100
Review by: John MEANtime

Give Blood Zine #3
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
As far as I know, this album is at least a year old, but Pete Pee has revamped it with some new artwork and a couple of exclusive demo tracks for this Australian release. In the Face of War's style of hardcore kind of reminds me of bands like Modern Life is War or This is Hell, that modern, punk based hardcore sound with intense vocals and a melancholy edge. At the same time though, I can sense a bit of youth crew influence, a lot of melodic punk coming through and even a bit of heavier edge with some mosh parts etc. Sometimes it sounds like the bastard child of the last With Honor album and This is Hell, with a bit of Terror thrown in. The production's great, it's got a real melodic hardcore kind of sound but it's still heavy enough to make their whole sound work well. The lyrics sound really hopeful, songs about being all you can be, feeling at home in the hardcore scene etc. Overall, I think this is a pretty cool little album and I think it's cool that Pete has given this band a chance. I'd never fucking heard of them before he told me about them.

SicZine.com
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
It's not often that I am able to revisit an album that I have reviewed but I was afforded the opportunity to do so when Pete over at Pee Records decided to re-release In The Face of War's last full length.
After giving a few more listens to "We Make Our Own Luck" and reading my review I felt pretty much the same about the record. The album is essentially the same; the songs were not re-recorded or mastered or anything, however, the CD comes in some sweet new packaging (even though the last packaging effort was also top notch), along with new unreleased tracks.
Instead of a thick booklet filled with loads of band shots you get a cool looking six-panel foldout booklet that is loaded with different colors, a snake, and club suits throughout on the one side with the lyrics printed on the other side.
I can probably go out on a limb here and say this is the best band to ever come out of Kokomo, Indiana but I have been wrong in the past. They are a passionate melodic hardcore band that features 6 members which include 3 guitarist. Why they could possibly need 3 guitarist is beyond me. They say Vegan on their myspace which I don't understand because they have a picture inside the booklet of one of the members eating Taco Bell, and even if it is devoid of meat, it is still absolutely the furthest thing from Veganism. Well, either way they have released a demo, split with The Bowels of Judas, a full length titled "Live Forever or Die Trying", and another album titled "Self Reliance is Self Destruction".
Even though it seems like the whole melodic hardcore thing has seen a huge resurgence as of late, these guys play the style well. At moments they reminded me of a stripped down version of Passion, especially the vocals at times. They keep things fast to mid paced for the most part with a lot of melodic undercurrents throughout. It's definitely nothing innovative but like I said these guys do it pretty damn good. The 11 songs usually stick around the 1:45-2:30 mark, it gives you enough time to get into the songs without getting bored too fast because lets face it, things can get boring fast with this style of hardcore without the proper song writing and energy.
I enjoyed the recording on this one. It had enough polish without taking away from the bands energy and intensity. The guitars sound good, although I couldn't even tell there were three of them. The bass had a fair amount of presence with a treble rich tone. The drums sounded solid. The vocals were mixed in very nicely.
Really slick DIY inspired layout that was not only crafted ingeniously designed to show all the materials needed to design to actual layout of the album. It shows the stencils, the markers, paint, etc., that was used to make it. This one has a really thick booklet that has tons of photos of the band in live settings and just fucking around on the road. Each song has it's own page for the lyrics. Considering this is the labels first release, they went all out with this one.
Songs Worthy of Replay: Who Will Be There And Revival
Synopsis: I still feel the same about the record, the old songs are still enjoyable to listen to. Like I said, the first version had a really nice layout, as does this, though I would say this version is a bit more eye catching. Even though I wasn't digging the two new tracks I kept the score the same because you still get all the old stuff and the new songs are just an added bonus; if you don't like them you can skip them, and if you do, that's even more reason for you to purchase this version.
Rating: 3.8 / 5

ThePunkSite.com
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
We Make Our Own Luck was released in 2006 through Detournement Records. I never heard it when it was released and that's probably a good thing because back then there's no way I could have sat through it. It's two years later and my tastes have changed and evolved a bit just in time for the Australian release of the CD. Even now I'm surprised I like it so much since the hardcore sound isn't one that normally captures my ears, but there's something in the delivery of the songs that is incredibly attractive which makes it almost impossible to put down the CD.
Normally that would mean that the record is rather catchy but that's not the case for In The Face Of War. In fact, it's the exact opposite. There's an odd melodic portion scattered throughout the release but for the most part, "melodic" or "catchy" is the last way to describe the release. Instead, We Make Our Own Luck is an abrasive mixture of perfectly controlled chaos. With heavy, hardcore guitar riffs, distinct and pulsating drum beats, ITFOW borrows elements from the likes of Botch and Modern Life Is War. It's frantic, chaotic and built on pure energy, never giving a moments rest.
But the real power of the release doesn't always come from the intensity, instead it comes from the vocal delivery on the album. While the gang vocals often help cement the sense of unity found in the hardcore community, it is when Ben Sutton goes off on his own that the band captures your attention. Sutton's vocals are not overly unique or special per say but there is something there that just grabs your ears. With tinges of The Unseen or a more frenetic Dear Tonight (These Wires era), Sutton stays on course with many vocalists from various hardcore bands but there seems to be a dispatched sense of urgency and passion deep within them that are missing in so many releases of this genre. This extra pinch of sincerity lifts We Make Our Own Luck out of the pack, giving the record a sound that stands out more than I would have ever thought possible.
On top of the impassioned, worn out vocals is the straight forward, striking lyrics. Written in a free flow format, the lyrics take the listener on a trip through the confused mind of an young man. There are songs of friendship within the scene (August, Second Home and If You Only Knew My Friends), songs of unity (Here We Are, Here and Now), songs of passion (Lost Heart), unsought questions (Victims) and growing up (Who Will Be There). Written in prose, the lyrics are direct and don't hide a single thing and the record improves because of it. It may be corny, but as I sit in my old bedroom with the teenage mutant ninja turtle borders, lyrics like "it seems like only yesterday / that bike riding, ninja turtles and grape kool-aid were day to day / but it's been so many years and a few things have changed" seem oddly real.
In The Face Of War have delivered an album for both fans and non fans of hardcore. It is fresh and rejuvenating in it's delivery while staying true to it's form and influences. It is when I hear bands like this that I have hope again because it proves there is real hardcore out there ready to be heard in dingy clubs around the world.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Review by: Bobby Gorman

Die Shellsuit, Die! [UK]
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
On first listen, this could be pretty much any mid to late 90s hardcore band, straight edge or otherwise. Think Bane, Ten Yard Fight, Youth of Today, Comeback Kid… You get the idea. Fast, with a bit of melody and sing-a-long gang choruses.
On repeated listens though, it reveals hidden depths. In the Face of War take the best bits of metal (Some Iron Maiden riffs, the odd double kick) but eschew some of the less impressive elements often done to death in modern hardcore (Beatdowns, constant double kick). Whilst there’s nothing really new here, it’s a solid album and less a formulaic genre piece than first listen would suggest. If you like your hardcore both old school and a little bit progressive, and you’re not a fan of the chug-chug beatdowns popularised by Hatebreed and Throwdown then you could do a lot worse than give this a listen.
Rating: 7 / 10
Review by: Will Slater

Bombshellzine.com
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
13 tracks of melodic hardcore from this US outfit. While they aren't writing any new chapters in the book, they manage to hold your attention throughout the album. It's energetic, in your face and sounds a treat. Lots of tough bits, tonnes of sing-along bits and a consistent sound throughout the 30 minutes of tunes they throw at you. Highlights include 'Who Will Be There', 'Revival' and 'Untitled'. Worth a listen if fast paced melodic hardcore is your thing.
Rating: 3 / 5

Subba-Culture.com [UK]
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
Hardcore – you know the score. Shouty vocals, pounding drums, thrashing guitars – the basics haven’t changed since the unleashing of the definitive works by Minor Threat et al back at the dawnings of the ‘80’s. A thousand bands have come and gone in the interim, yet the song remains the same.
In The Face Of War are the latest to have come to my own attention, and though they add little to the basic hardcore recipe, they certainly play it well. Articulate and remarkably tight musicians, they know their stuff and pound out a hardcore assault which is at the very least the equal of any other band out there.
There’s not a single note on here which deviates from the hardcore aesthetic, yet hearing a band mastering a style as well as this remains a reasonably thrilling experience. If you’re one of those shaven-headed hardcore kids whose idea of bliss is a circle pit that never stops, there’s every chance you’ll jizz your balls inside out at the songs on “We Make Our Own Luck”. For most of the rest of you, I suspect it may be of only limited interest, but for all its lack of originality, you’d have to accede that it is a very well-constructed mixture.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Review by: Eddie Thomas

Geekburger.com
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
I'm not too familiar with In the Face of War's back catalog, but I've heard enough to know that they haven't always sounded like this. If they did, I would remember.
On We Make Our Own Luck, the band takes a sharp turn down Melodic Hardcore Avenue, using their well established musical know-how and youthful energy to write songs that are as catchy as they are brazenly aggressive. While the record overflows with ripping drumming, blistering chord progressions and throat-shredding, in-your-face vocals, it's rather accessible, much in the way This Is Hell's full-length debut, Sundowning, is accessible. Between the brisk guitar melodies and leads, occasional pit-friendly breakdown and tastefully huge sing-alongs, most of the record's tracks have something memorable to latch onto. The second song, "Conversation," is a real doosie, especially when the band bursts into a slick, rocked-out breakdown after the music cuts and Ben Sutton screams "Only in my -- MIND!" The melodic, double bass-fueled sing-along at the end of "Second Homes" is chilling -- a perfect match for the vein-popping screaming.
Taking things a step further, In the Face of War incorporates a lot of tempo shifts and angular guitar layers into We Make Our Own Luck. The band never gets lost in their experimentation or busyness, though; the record is concise and precise, but still more complex than the average hardcore effort.
Sutton's lyrics are versed to be memorable and rally crowds, but that doesn't detract from their substance. Without getting too attached to one theme, he uses a personal approach to support living with a forward-thinking mindset, conviction and passion, and one's own set of standards. I'm especially fond of his coming-of-age realizations in "Who Will Be There," as they come across as entirely heartfelt and real, as well as something most anyone can understand. Sutton even wrote "Second Homes" as a "thank you" to all of the places that have hosted the group, and it's certainly believable.
We Make Our Own Luck was one of 2006's final flares of life. And make no mistake, it was a bright flare, loaded with energy, personality, feeling and urgency. In the Face of War may have left their sound of yore in the dust with this effort, but there's simply no denying that the band's new incarnation is the better one.
Rating: 8 / 10
Review by: Andrew Haak

AsIce E-zine
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
When I got this cd and I read the biography sheet I was surprised to see that this band has been around for six years, but due to their location (Indiana, USA) they probably didn’t get the opportunity to be in the spotlights. Before I wanted to listen to the new cd, I decided to check out the previous release from this band. After sitting trough most of the record, I found myself listening to a not above average metallic fast hardcore band with some nice chugga chugga parts.
So I was pretty surprised when I listened to the new record to discover that they left behind most of the metallic parts in favour of a more modern approach in the vein of Modern Life Is War and Life Long Tragedy. Still there are a few metallic parts but they rely more on putting some cool breaks in the songs to make it interesting. Personally I think this record is just okay, none of the songs blow me out of the water or bore me to death.
The production is good enough, on a few points it could have been done a bit better, but it doesn’t irritate me while I am listening to it. The artwork is nicely done, cut n paste with a lot of personal and band pictures. I enjoyed the lyrics, where other bands really try to be over the top poetic, they try to be a little more down to earth, which makes it easier to think about lyrics and reflect them on your own life is a direct way.
I won’t be surprised if they can maintain this course and are able to make it a bit more interesting, they eventually will be picked up by a label such as Rivalry or Deathwish Inc. Records. Although this record doesn’t show it that much, I do think they might have something good to offer in the future.
Rating: 3 / 5

Punknews.org
IN THE FACE OF WAR - We Make Our Own Luck
In the Face of War's We Make Our Own Luck is a pretty solid example of how ambitious otherwise atonal youth crew hardcore can be. Take raspily yelled but comprehensible vocals, a steady aggression, forward-thinking melodies and an unrelenting urgency and you got yourself a lot to like.
We Make Our Own Luck unfortunately does not produce many standout songs, but that's mostly because it's so consistent. It's easy to get behind the album track after track, many of which get splashed with that more reflective type of guitar riff that somehow sounds emotional -- you know, the type Turning Point suddenly decided to employ for their last stylistic change. Actually, the lack of standouts is a bit of a lie; Luck is desperate-sounding enough as it is, but "Here We Are, Here and Now" just mixing up the lead vocals gives it that extra boost. Plus, things always sound frantic when the bass drops out.
More examples of In the Face of War's strive for something a little more creative than what their peers usually come up with appear in songs like "Revival," with some wandering guitar parts actually momentarily reminiscent of bands too experimental to even be labeled hardcore (Since by Man, complimentarily looking your way). "What a Shame" sounds plenty intricate too, even while maintaining a rigorous tempo and attitude.
At least according to Jordan, In the Face of War used to play a more emocore-meets-tech-skatepunk type of punk rock. If that's true, their progression is certainly a bit odd; however, it seems they've retained that type of complexity and dropped it into a genre usually sorely lacking, and it's resulted in quite an impressive little album.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Review by: Brian