Hearts Once Nourished with Hope & Compassion [PA] (CD - 1997)

Shai Hulud are arguably one of the hardcore scene's best groups, yet that title seems a bit too hasty considering they have only released one full-length album. Hearts Once Nourished with Hope & Compassion is a fantastic album that succinctly wraps up what the late-'90s hardcore scene had become, and provides nine songs that are all worthy of becoming anthems for the modern generation. On the surface, Shai Hulud may appear to be just a batch of musicians overdosing on testosterone and anger, yet a glimpse at the lyrical content of this album will show something quite different. Blazing with intelligence, daring the listener to actually think, Shai Hulud prove that there is integrity amidst hardcore's abundance of intensity. Anyone half interested in finding out more about hardcore should get a copy of Hearts Once Nourished for a first lesson in "Hardcore 101." While Shai Hulud may not have pioneered the genre, they certainly deserve recognition for releasing one of the genre's most exquisite masterpieces. ~ Jason D. Taylor minimize