THE CLASS ASSASSINS / TREASON / 2011
REVIEWS
From Street Voice:
There’s some good tunes being released of late and this Class Assassins 7″ is no different. Sadly there’s only two tunes on this release but they are both guitar fuelled tunes that are catchy as fuck! These guys really know how to rock out in style! Hopefully this single should be the lead to a new album being released so please watch this space. ‘Treason’ is the lead track on this release which is a great rock n roll tune to get those air guitars out and jump about. 
Timeless number for sure! Not far behind is ‘Start Again’ another great tune that isn’t too far behind tune wise. Its great to see Anti-Fascist bands of this quality banging out some decent music with well written lyrics. You’re going to love The Class Assassins – I promise! 8/10 (Street Voice)
From Equalizing X Distort:
Side A, “Treason” has this underlying reggae beat to the song that reminds me of VERBAL ASSAULT’s “Tiny Giants” partially for the same reggae back beat, but partially because the sound is beefy. Beefy rock reggae from punks. Makes sense coming from punks who are anti-racists. Reaches back to the roots rebel army origins of the band’s appreciation for bands like the RUTS and SLF. The B Side, “Start Again” is more like what I am used to hearing from the CLASS ASSASSINS. Having just recorded a version of this song for our radio show I appreciate the heavy vocal interplay that comes together as gang chants in this song that live somewhere between SHAM 69 and RANCID. The music is more along the lines of the SKIDS with the not so subtle celtic riffing that made BIG COUNTRY a phenomenon. “Start Again” is my favourite of the two numbers and should have been the A-Side, but both songs are great. And it kind of baffles me how this band doesn’t have more people talking about them especially given that the singer was in an early rendition of CHRONIC SUBMISSION and the bassist was in DIRECT ACTION. Thos are two heavyweights as far as Toronto hardcore is concerned and should take nothing away from the others who played in PROBLEM CHILDREN, HOCKEY TEETH, and BOMB SHELTER. All of these bands were great in their own right. And although bringing together that much talent can be risky as is the case with Brazil’s football team, the egos are in check with the CLASS ASSASSINS. In fact I would say that the egos are no existent. These guys just play stripped down back to basics punk with loads of melody and is an example where bringing together this much talent can blow you away. There are a few examples of this like LIMP WRIST and the SWARM and now streetpunk has a role model. (Equalizing X Distort)
From Rebel Youth Magazine:
“Toronto streetpunks The Class Assassins have followed up their brilliant 2010 full length You’ve Got It All Wrong with a new EP titled The Treason 45. The release includes two new tracks on 7” vinyl. “Side A, Treason, blends the bands classic stripped down punk rock sound with a heavy back beat to produce a song that is legitimately catchy and memorable. I received the album a day ago and have probably heard this song a dozen times since.The B Side is a song titled Start Again which is more reminiscent of You’ve Got It All Wrong. It’s a straight forward punk rock anthem expertly crafted to incite the listener to sing along and throw back a pint for the working class.The Treason 45 only has one problem; it leaves the listener wanting more, and that’s a quality problem to have. One thing’s for sure, I’ll be looking forward to the next full length.Check The Class Assassins out and order The Treason 45 at Rebel Time Records.” (Rebel Youth Magazine)
From Profane Existence:
I’ve been a fan of this band since their first album “State of Emergency” from back in 2002 when I had a radio show on Mohawk College back in Hamilton, Ontario. I played something off of that album nearly every week on the show and not just because I had to play a certain amount of Canadian music, but because it kicked ass. Well, I am happy to say that they are every bit as good as back then, if not even better than I remember. Only two songs from this Toronto, Ontario band that has been around since 2001 and just keeps getting better. They do great upbeat, but far from cheesy street punk with heart-felt lyrics and emotion in every song. This is the kind of stuff that I can play over and over again and sing along with and it makes me happy, not too many bands can do that to me right from the start. I hadn’t listened to them in a lot longer than I should have because this band is just too good not to listen to on a regular basis. Pick this one up and make yourself feel good. (Profane Existence)