Since their formation in upstate New York in 2021, Fight From Within have carried themselves like a band with something to prove. Emerging from the shadows of a crowded metalcore and hardcore landscape, they’ve blended their beatdown aggression with razor-sharp technicality, carving out a sound that feels refreshingly unfiltered. Their latest full-length, Talk is Cheap, is the culmination of a relentless grind, both in the music industry and in their personal lives, and the end result is a record that feels as cathartic as it is punishing.
The band proudly, yet never lazily, wears their influences. The knuckle-breaking groove of Bury Your Dead, the atmospheric flourishes of Polaris, the wonderful chaos of Every Time I Die, and the swaggering hostility of Attila all find their way into the DNA of this record. I love that they use the inspirations but make it their own. Fight From Within channels those inspirations into a unified, distinct identity. It’s a balance of that raw hardcore sound and modern metalcore dynamics, sharpened under the production eye of Pablo Viveros (Chelsea Grin), who brings clarity to the chaos.
In my opinion, from the first breakdown, the record establishes itself as a statement piece. The guitars alternate between angular riffs and atmospheric layering, keeping the listener off-balance before hitting those drops. The rhythm section drives the album with solid precision, balancing technical fills with heaviness, while the vocals from Michael Hayes swing from guttural lows to searing highs.
Among the standout tracks that I love, “Hard Flex” is an absolute monster; it has this swaggering groove and venomous vocal delivery that collide to create one of the album’s most immediate punches. “Show Me Your Worst” captures the band’s knack for combining chaos with memorable hooks. And then there’s their wild-card moment: an absolutely feral cover of Ludacris’ “Get Back.” On paper, it sounds insane, but Fight From Within twists it into a beatdown anthem that feels like a perfect extension of their ethos.
But what truly elevates Talk is Cheap is the conviction behind it. The title itself is more than a catchy phrase; it’s the band’s mission statement. As they put it, “At the end of the day, talk is cheap. Go out and get what you want, and just stop talking about it.” That attitude bleeds into every track. The songs don’t just hit hard sonically; they embody the ethos of forward momentum, resilience, and unapologetic hunger to succeed in the scene.
Verdict: 9/10
With crushing standouts like “Hard Flex,” “Show Me Your Worst,” “Collapse,” and their jaw-dropping take on “Get Back,” Talk is Cheap is a vicious, passionate, and unrelenting record that proves Fight From Within is here to stay.
