Review of "Blood, Faith, Loyalty " by Jordan Baker of Paste Punk Running eight years strong now, Pennsylvania's STRENGTH FOR A REASON are back with their first full-length since 2002's hard-to-find Show and Prove. Formed originally by members of MUSHMOUTH/OUT TO WIN, this band plays tough as nails hardcore in line with AGNOSTIC FRONT, MADBALL, and HATEBREED. Originality is at a premium with Blood Faith Loyalty, but all eleven songs are particularly well-written and the lead vocals are intense without being mangled by growls are half-hearted screams. What takes STRENGTH FOR A REASON past mediocrity however is the crankin' rhythm section, especially on the sixth track, "Face to Face," which meshes killer double-bass drumming with crushing, chugging guitars, busy bass lines and venomous vocals. Again - nothing you haven't heard before, but the arrangements are impressive, and there's never any let down in quality. STRENGTH FOR A REASON sing about the things they know best - their friends, family, and country ("Remembrance" appears to be written about 9/11), and conviction is something the band is certainly not lacking....