Youth, Betrayal and the Awakening

Infobox Album
Name = Youth, Betrayal and the Awakening
Type = Album
Artist = Union 13

Released = September 12 2000
Recorded = Westbeach Recorders,
Hollywood, U.S.
Genre = Hardcore punk
Length = 36:48
Label = Epitaph Records
Producer = Union 13
Donnell Cameron
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:xu5j8qf9btq4 link]
Last album = "Why Are We Destroying Ourselves?"
(1998)
This album = "Youth, Betrayal and the Awakening"
(2000)
Next album = "Symptoms of Humanity"
(2003) |

"Youth, Betrayal and the Awakening" is the third album from East Los Angeles, California hardcore punk band, Union 13.

It was released in September, 2000 on Epitaph Records, and follows 1998's "Why Are We Destroying Ourselves?" – also released on Epitaph Records.

The band had lost two members in the meantime – bassist Jerry Navarro, and guitarist Ben Sandoval – and it was left to chief songwriter, José Mercado, to fill in the gaps in the studio.

This album sees a return to the Westbeach Recorders studios where they produced their debut LP, "East Los Presents..." in 1997. It also features the production work of Donnell Cameron – a well-known figure in the hardcore punk world.

Two of the tracks, "The Game" and "Innocence", appeared on two consecutive Epitaph Records Punk-O-Rama series compilations – one before the album was released, the other after.

More problems were to come afterwards and it took the band three years to finally release their next album, "Symptoms of Humanity", after already recording some new material in 2001. Disaster Records picked them up and released it in 2003.

Overview

A placid, almost thrash metal inspired, instrumental introduction again gives way to blasts of short, brutal riffs and shouted vocals. However, as the personnel list had shrunk since the last episode, it was an altogether tighter sound.

The band also try their hand at slower, more melodic material, largely to good effect.

And again there are the Spanish-voiced tracks, ever true to their Hispanic-American origins, and the traditionally inspired Spanish guitar melodies. This time round, there were four such tracks.

Track listing

*All music written by José Mercado, lyrics by José Mercado, Edward Escoto, and Louie Villareal
#"Intro" – 1:00
#"The Game (We Don't Have To Play)" – 2:32
#"Beyond The System" – 2:09
#"A Short Supply (Of Truth)" – 1:51
#"Youth, Betrayal And The Awakening" – 1:31
#"Buscando La Verdad" – 2:15
#"For Someone" – 1:21
#"To Understand" – 2:39
#"Ilusión, Violencia y Maldad" – 1:36
#"Innocence" – 2:26
#"Try" – 1:37
#"Soledad" – 2:49
#"Finding Out" – 2:47
#"Mundo Egoísta" – 3:04
#"Malice" – 2:46
#"Continue" – 1:36
#"Life, Death, Matter" – 2:49

Credits

* Edward Escoto – vocals
* José Mercado – guitar, bass
* Louie Villareal – drums

* Recorded and mixed at Westbeach Recorders, Hollywood, USA
* Produced by Union 13 and Donnell Cameron
* Engineered by Donnell Cameron
* Mastered by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering

External links

* [http://union-13.com/ Union 13 official website]
* [http://www.epitaph.com/artists/artist/82 Epitaph Records band page]
* [http://www.epitaph.com/artists/album/5/ Youth, Betrayal And The Awakening on Epitaph]