When I saw Pg. 99 set up in my friend's apartment to play a show earlier
this summer, I knew I was about to be destroyed. What with two guitarists,
two bassists, one drummer, and two vocalists, I could tell I was in for
something heavy.


Pg. 99 delivered that night -- the rock was brought, the kids all went home
to put on their CDs, LPs and 7"s.


Although the sound was muddy at best in the tiny apartment, I could tell
that Pg. 99 was a seriously heavy and rocking band. I was excited to get
this CD so that I could actually hear what the band wanted themselves to
sound like.


Pg. 99 plays heavy modern hardcore, with some elements of grindcore and
old-school emo seeping in. All of this is delivered in a heavy-as-fuck
assault on the listener. Hell, even the light parts are heavier than most
other bands. The vocals are almost always screamed, and for anyone who
thinks that all screaming sounds alike, listen to Pg. 99 -- you can hear
each vocalist's part. 


Just when you think Pg. 99 can't top themselves, the album draws to a close
on the bass-heavy 7+ minute closer, "By The Fireplace in White."
Blistering guitar playing is inserted between a hypnotic bassline and some
of the most intense screaming to ever hit my ears. Anyone who can write a
hardcore song that goes over five minutes and remains interesting for the
duration deserves mad props (see also: Portraits of Past and Refused).


My only complainty about Pg. 99 is that it seems as if all of the band is
playing the same parts -- there may be multiple guitars and basses in this
album, but it sounds like everyone is playing the same thing. That is not
much of a deterrent though, just something to work on when writing songs in
the future.


"Document #5" is a good hardcore album for people who like things heavy as
hell.