Persist N’ Prevail – Massive 411

Have you ever wondered what you might get if you cooked up 1990’s hard rock with a more modern touch? Persist & Prevail is the answer to that question, only with more edge to kick you in the ass. Hailing from the San Gabriel Valley/Los Angeles, CA area, Persist & Prevail seem to actually know the sound they want and they will stick to their guns as long as they keep making records. The power, heart and determination that Edgar Hernandez and Jon Rosiles bring on this record is what makes me enjoy it so much. You can tell that Persist & Prevail is something the two guys take a ton of pride in and will do nothing but keep pushing forward until they achieve that main goal they have for themselves.

First off, let it be known that I’m not a huge fan of most hard rock stuff, it just isn’t my piece of pie, if you will. My first impression of this record was that I was going to have to listen to it a couple more times before I can actually get any idea of how I feel about it. While listening to it over the last week or so, it seems like Persist & Prevail love to blend more bands than I originally though. The first time this record was spinning, I got whispers of Sevendust, mainly the “Animosity” record. The way that Edgar Hernandez can rip through glass with his voice is very soothing to the soul. He gives you those flashbacks of when you were in High School but with more anger and heart. The riffs are on the same page as your normal hard rock riffs, nothing special but they are placed in the perfect spots at the perfect time, it’s all layered to perfection. Rage Against The Machine influence? I can sense it from the short verses or choruses that Edgar does with a more rap flow. “Massive 411” is just a fun record overall, it fills those voids you have from not getting solid rock records these days. It can be heavy as hell during certain parts on the record but it can be really calm and just breathtaking on others tracks.

The track “Waste of Time” is the one track that’s a bit more on the calm side, although it still hits heavy the way it’s structured, it should calm your broken soul. Another huge influence on this record seems to be Nirvana, I could be completely wrong on this one but I smelled it a bit while the record was spinning. Jon Rosiles, the drummer in this duo, is feeding me fills and beats that I love to hear. “Anguish, Annoyance and Apologies”, gives you that double bass with massive waves that speak volumes to your ears. The guy is skilled when it comes to playing what he loves, it’s just that simple.. He’s smart because he doesn’t leave his comfort zone while recording, he just plays heavy, fast and keeps that rhythm he’s practiced over the years. “Massive 411” is the type of record that you can put on at any time of the day, sit back and jam to it without feeling like you could be eaten alive. The only negative thing I can say about the record in general is about the second track “pNp (Persist N’ Prevail)”. It just didn’t do much for me since it was the fastest track on the record. I know, a fast track being a bad thing? Not necessarily but when a record of this caliber has a tempo to it, the song just seemed like the black sheep that I overlooked.

My three favorite tracks on this record would have to be “Waste of Life”, “Taken” and “Too Bad”. All three of those tracks are filled with lyrics that will take you back to past relationships, anger filled fights and just bullshit you are proud that you came out alive from. “Massive 411” – The one record that will bring you back to the music you loved growing up. A solid release from the California guys and I’ll be sure to keep up with Persist & Prevail because I’m waiting for that next record.

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