Focused: Devil’s Kiss | Portraits Of An Era
(2025 – Steadfast Records)
Is there anyone who remembers Focused? Strange as it may seem—at least for this humble metal-focused media outlet—every now and then material like Focused’s finds its way into our hands. Focused was a respectable and admirable hardcore band from the early ’90s that, at the time, served as a pioneer for the genre’s early days of Christian lyrics.
While Hardcore can encompass many things, it also has a Christian side, and Focused was one of the pioneers in this area, with an aggressive and combative style that showed its teeth from the very beginning.
The band was active on the scene throughout the ’90s until they broke up, but that was only temporary, since around the year 2000 Focused reunited. As a result of that reunion (which was short-lived, since they would later break up again—only to reunite once more!), the band recorded several new tracks, including three songs that have been unearthed and released on this new EP titled “Devil’s Kiss”—which is what brings us here today.
Beyond Focused’s current status as a band and what lies ahead for them, it’s always worth revisiting old material, and in that sense, the songs on this release can serve as inspiration and propel Focused forward once again, as well as providing an extra incentive for collectors and fans of the band.
Although Focused is associated with the Hardcore genre, their music has always gone beyond it, venturing into crossover and even what could be considered the prototype and early days of what would later be called Metalcore. These songs clearly highlight that trend, with material that’s much more evolved and closer to the 2000s than to the ’90s.
First up is “Devil’s Kiss”, the title track of this EP. With a mid-tempo groove, heavy, driving riffs, and a much darker, denser sound than in their earlier work.
In contrast, “We’re Here To Show You How” seems to be the missing link and a bridge to their past. With a much stronger focus on Punk/Hardcore, Focused nonetheless adapts their sound to the style of the early 2000s. With a fairly driving rhythm, it serves as a good example of what Focused sounded like in the 2000s.
Finally, we have “Fighting For A Soul”, which strays a bit from the mold Focused had us accustomed to. Its ballad-like opening conceals a well-crafted blend of the band’s classic sound and something closer to Metalcore.
The band has reunited several times, and it seems they’re still active—at least in terms of their discography. It remains to be seen whether Focused will release anything new in the future or simply reunite to play live. In the meantime, “Devil’s Kiss” could serve as a catalyst for that, or simply give us the chance to hear what the band sounded like at that time—since, let’s remember once again, these tracks aren’t new; they were recorded during the band’s reunion in 2000.
To make this material available to the public and Focused fans, Steven Dail (from Project 86—remember them?) was tasked with the difficult job of mixing and updating the sound of these tracks, which were recorded in April 2000. The result is a devastating sound—yet at the same time natural, raw, and dark—far more so than any of the band’s other material.
The cover art doesn’t tell us much and isn’t entirely original, though it’s clearly of quite exceptional quality. The good news is that despite being just a three-song EP, it at least comes with a booklet—small, but featuring the lyrics and some technical details. Not much more than that, but we’re still thrilled that, in addition to this CD version, it’s also available on vinyl and cassette, in true old-school style—just as it should be! And keep in mind, it’s a limited edition.
It’s possible that “Devil’s Kiss” doesn’t add much to Focused’s long history and career. It’s a snapshot of how the band sounded during that 2000 reunion, and little more than that. The tracks included are solid for their time, and it’s a shame it didn’t lead to anything more than a simple reunion to reminisce about the old days.
In any case, it’s a great opportunity for fans of Focused and hardcore/metalcore to get their hands on previously unreleased material that’s now officially out with a clean sound and a proper mix.
Here’s the title track from this EP, and as always, here are the band’s social media links so you can follow them and stay up to date on any news…
https://www.facebook.com/focusedsxfxhxc
https://www.instagram.com/focusedband
