Review of "Show and Prove" by Phil of Gallery Of Sound Scottish essayist Thomas Carlyle wrote that a “mystic bond of brotherhood makes all men one,” a quote usually reserved for some stiff dinner speech at a Fraternity Rush. That’s all fine and dandy for the blazer and tie set on their way to the boating dock, but Strength for a Reason ain’t exactly Frat Boys and they’re crashing the party with a slightly updated take on the idea of brotherhood. “They’re not my blood, but they’re family/ the only ones who ever gave a damn for me,” sings Boxcutter’s Mad Joe Black in a guest vocal on Strength for a Reason’s “Looking Back,” a fervent plea for “one big hardcore family,” and a declaration of what the band stands for. The 11 tracks of Show and Prove, the fourth release on Rock Island, IL upstart Thornz Records, concentrate on positive themes of support, solidarity, and even religious faith, surprising for a band whose sound hits you like a ton of bricks. The searing hardcore of tracks like “Ties That Bind,” “Pushed Aside,” and “Realized” have enough raw vocals, thundering guitars, and shout-along choruses to elicit comparisons to giants like All Out War, Agnostic Front, and Hatebreed. When Strength for a Reason says, “True friends always stand by your side,” they mean it, and with a savage new CD and packed live shows it’s a safe bet their already extended family is growing larger each day.