I have almost a hard time believing that it’s been more than five years since TRIAL released their swan song, “”Are These Our Lives?”" As arguably one of the most important and popular straight-edge hardcore bands of the late 90s, TRIAL’s musical presence of political persuasion seem now like mere blips in time. When this release came out, I remember being almost speechless after giving it a listen. With huge gang vocals, monstrous drumming, and ultra-political/positive lyrics, TRIAL were not just another band playing shows in local VFW Halls for mere sport, they were a spark of life setting anything in its path ablaze. TRIAL folded in late Fall of 1999 (after I had a chance to interview the band’s singer, which can be found here), and most of the rhythm section ended up in HIMSA, who had just signed to Revelation at the time. That same HIMSA, although with a greatly retooled line-up, is now the killer metalcore band on Prosthetic Head.

mp3: TRIAL – Are These Our Lives?