Send "United Nations " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Sputnikmusic |
 During the promotion of the self-proclaimed emo-power-violence band United Nations in 2008, confusion nearly outweighed anticipation. If you asked ten people that knew of United Nations the question, ‘what members were actually in the band,’ you would probably get eight or so different responses. Even today, apart from Geoff Rickly, the members remain somewhat cloudy. However, if there is one certainty surrounding United Nations, it is the fact they love pissing off people in high places. Their self-titled album featured the controversial altercation to the Beatles album, Abbey Road, while Never Mind the Bombings Here’s Your Six Figures blatantly rips off the cover art of the Sex Pistol’s Never Mind the Bollocks Here’s the Sex Pistols. That claim is only strengthened by their band name, which caused multiple band related webpages to be deleted. Past that, they are just attempting to melt faces and play some tunes for old times sake, and United Nations do that damn well.Before getting into the thick of it, taking care of housekeeping issues first, in just under twelve minutes, Never Mind the Bombings Here’s Your Six Figures sure goes by rather slowly, and that is a perk. However, do not be fooled by its shortened length, as the lasting impression is equal if not greater. United Nation’s cutthroat approach remains the same, but with a little more pop in each riff and fill, and I will be damned if Ben Koller is NOT the drummer on this album. Koller is known for brilliantly brutal drum fills and mind-blowing combinations while keeping pace without a hint of sloppiness, all of which is reflected on this album. This is most notably found on “Pity Animal” and “Never Mind the Bombings, Here’s Your Six Figures,” whom are the beneficiaries of such superb drumming. Elsewhere, Rickly showcases why he makes Thursday so unique with his melodic tendencies in “O You Bright & Risen Angel,” which is probably the most consistent and listener friendly track. In other areas, there are minor flaws, such as a rather low vocal mix and unintelligible lyrics at times, but this album was intended for headbanging, not singing. Even so, the overall clarity is much clearer and less gritty, per se, than United Nations. In all honesty, there are not enough discernable differences to keep fans from the last album away from Never Mind the Bombings Here’s Your Six Figures. After all, United Nations are not trying to create this side project in hopes to reinvent a genre, rather relive it with their owns ideas. The bottom line is that United Nations are as rad as ever and likely won’t stop in the near future; so keep ‘em coming gentlemen....full text |
| Music |
| Originally rumored to be a project founded by veterans from Thursday, GlassJaw, Converge and more, United Nations' existence and subsequent recordings have been cloaked in confusion since their rumored inception. On the heels of the release of their debut full length on the Eyeball label in 2008, the United Nations Organization (UNO) shut down the band's pages on Social networking sites worldwide. The band was also forced to alter their debut album's cover, sighting retail stores refusal to carry the title with controversial artwork. This informational blackout further added to the aura of mystery surrounding the band, allowing them to grow stronger amidst the chaos. 2010 brings the release of "Nevermind The Bombings, Here's Your Six Figures", the second alleged release from the band. "Nevermind..." is a spastic and violent four song explosion that brings to mind the bygone days of the mid-1990's "screamo" sub-genre. A poignant musical missile meant to sink today's safe and predictable musical establishment. ...full text |
| Hearwaxmedia |
| When United Nations dropped their self-titled effort a couple of years back, it literally happened right out of the blue. Here was this bombshell, this vitriolic slab of emo-violence that turned out to be much more than it initially led on. I’ve been a Thursday fan for longer than I can remember, so when a friend alerted me to a new project that involved Geoff Rickly, I jumped at the gut. I purchased a copy online and, suffice it to say, I was surprised. I expected this brutal cacophony of sludge and crust, and instead I got something analogous to Portraits of Past mating with Tragedy. It exploded through the speakers. My yearning for crust is nearly as insatiable as my praise for Thursday, and this was particularly refreshing; However, after a closer listen I noticed something beautiful amidst the impenetrable noise. Rickly’s vocals soared; Guitars would build up and fall apart, every note sprinkling like rain before firing off the burner like grease in a barbeque. The mix was pretty flat, but it didn’t matter because the aesthetic and message was sincere. Here was a band pissed off, taking swings at our international leaders, the Wal-Mart Deathstar, and Dennis Lyxzén‘s failure to rally the troops in Refused. Better yet, the only known active member is Rickly: While it’s been assumed that Converge mainstay Ben Koller smashed the skins, no one’s true identity is known. The band sport Ronald Reagan masks, further hearkening back to the violent anti-everything of hardcore’s heyday in the 1980s. Head over to the band’s website and take a look at their Frequently Asked Questions section; take a look at any number of the band’s flyers. You’re going to see a sociopolitical message with a satiric spin, and this is truthfully the best one could hope for in a band that claims its central influences as Reversal of Man and Orchid, two artists I would say I fell in love with not just because of their chaotic music but also their lyrical aims and Frankfurt School aesthetics. Needless to say, United Nations have a lot on their chest and use music as their weapon of choice. Their media assault would make Chomsky proud....full text |
United Nations lyrics
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