Madball: True To The Game – The Roadrunner Years. 3CD Album Review

When I first heard about a Madball box set, I was expecting something entirely different. Perhaps a children’s toy from the 90s?? Not a seminal New York hardcore band that would sonically punch me in the throat for three discs straight.

 

The “True to the Game” collection chronicles Madball‘s Roadrunner Records era, arguably their most influential period—when they cemented themselves as hardcore royalty. This is three CDs nestled in a digipack that’s sturdier than the security at their infamous live shows.

 

Kicking off with “Demonstrating My Style,” this is an album that does exactly what it promises. Madball weren’t just demonstrating their style; they were grabbing the hardcore rulebook, setting it on fire, and screaming, “THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE” while the ashes scattered across Lower East Side mosh pits

 

Moving on to “Look My Way,” you’ll find yourself involuntarily nodding along, not because you’re agreeing with anything but because the rhythm section physically manipulates your neck muscles. It’s biological warfare disguised as music.

 

By the time you‘ve hit “Hold It Down,” your neighbours have already called the police twice, and you’ve developed an inexplicable urge to wear camouflage shorts regardless of the weather.

 

The remastering job here is exceptional. Every guitar chug sounds like it’s being played through an amplifier made of pure testosterone. The bass hits with the subtlety of someone throwing a refrigerator down a flight of stairs. The drums? Imagine a construction site staffed entirely by caffeinated gorillas.

What separates Madball from their peers is their authenticity. While other bands were writing songs about fictional struggles, Madball was living theirs, and this collection captures that raw reality. Each track feels like eavesdropping on the most intense therapy session ever recorded. Except instead of talking through their issues, they’re expressing them through breakdowns that could trigger seismic activity.

 

“True to the Game: The Roadrunner Years” isn’t just a music collection—it’s a historical document, a time capsule of an era when hardcore meant something visceral and immediate.

Madball never sold out, never compromised, and this box set stands as testimony to their unwavering commitment to authentic expression.
Score 8/10