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by: rob tatum I had never actually heard 100 Demons prior to popping this CD into my player. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The second full length from this Connecticut hardcore band is full of energy and passion. This isn’t the typical band that I would enjoy, but I can’t help but sing along to the songs on this album. The best way I can describe 100 Demon’s music is to compare them to a more hardcore oriented Killswitch Engage. There is more emphasis on breakdowns and sing alongs than a KsE release, but the talent is still here. The occasional metal riff will ring in from time to time, but not often enough to be considered a metalcore release. The absence of clichéd melodic breakdowns from this album really makes it a more complete album. This is straight up, energetic hardcore. Vocalist Pete Morcey carries a deep voice that bellows from within. His voice fits the style of music very well. As I mentioned before, you really can’t help but sing along. The album is filled with angry, passionate lyrics ranging from personal angst to fiery attacks. Some of the songs hit close to home and that may be why I enjoyed this album as much as I did. This is rock solid hardcore album. I wish I had gotten into 100 Demons before now because this album is a great listen. I look forward to what this band will offer up on its next release and hopefully they can match the intensity of this album. |
Friday, May 14, 2004
Review: 100 Demons - Self-Titled
Review: Burnthe8Track - The Ocean
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One of the most refreshing things in music today is when bands stray away from just one genre and play whatever they feel. The best way to describe Burnthe8track’s sound may be to not describe it at all. The Ocean carries elements from emo, punk, rock, and everything in between. It’s almost impossible to pin-point the band’s sound and that really helped win this listener over. I wouldn’t necessarily say that Burnthe8track has broken down barriers or anything that drastic, but they have dipped a little from a variety of genres to pull together a very definitive sound. At times I hear Jawbreaker, then I hear Small Brown Bike, then maybe some Brand New, and finally topped off with some Thursday. It’s really a roller coaster of sounds that makes The Ocean a fun listen. If I had to generalize the band’s sound, I would say it’s poppy, but not in that watered down, irritating way that most bands are. The musicianship on this album is much more dynamic than anything ever released by a pop band. The band doesn’t lull you to sleep like and emo band and they don’t bore you with repetitive beats like a punk band. Derek Kun’s vocals are equally as hard to describe. His voice is much scratchier than any pop or emo singer, but his voice is much higher than any hardcore or punk singer. It’s a nice combination with the style of music that Burnthe8track plays. The melodic riffs pounding from guitarist Jason Kun and bassist Mike Goreski make for a great flow to this album. The backing vocals from Jason and drummer Sam Oslund create some interesting vocal overlays. This album rocks. It takes the listener on a journey through many genres and never gets boring. Fans of almost anything can find something good in this album. It’s a great debut and I can only hope for more from this band. |
Spotlight: Alexisonfire
| bst spotlight band. Forget Labatt Blue... this is Canada's finest. Alexisonfire bridges the gap between emo and hardcore in way that cannot be described. Their songs are unique and powerful, leaving the listener begging for more. The band's self-titled full length pushed the band into the spotlight. After constant touring, the band's follow-up album, Watch Out will be released in the US on 06/29/2004. If you haven't had the chance to hear this band or see them live, make sure to put that at the top of your to do list. |
Review: Glass Casket - We Are Gathered Here Today...
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I don’t think that I have really heard many technical metalcore bands that I can tolerate outside of Botch and the Dillinger Escape Plan, but I have to say that Glass Casket is breath of fresh air on the genre. We are gathered here today… is a decent effort from this up and coming North Carolina band and should definitely draw some attention to the band. For those of you who are into this genre, this is something you need to check out, and if you have never gotten into this sort of music, this is a good way to start out. From the onset, this album punishes your ear drums with blistering riffs and blast beats. Normally that is something that turns me away, but Glass Casket pulls it off really well and the songs are tied together nicely. The problem I usually have with this genre of music is that the songs are too chaotic and hard to follow, but that’s not the case with this album. If it’s possible for songs from this genre to flow, then it happens on this record. Aside form the fast-paced parts of the album, the band exhibits quality musicianship and a great deal of energy in their music. Vocalist Adam Cody’s voice reminds me a lot of Tommy from Between the Buried and Me, but maybe with a little more emphasis on the hardcore vocals and less on the death metal stuff. The songs are fairly well organized and easier to follow than most bands playing this style of music. To be honest, I didn’t mind listening to this record. That’s saying a lot because I normally would toss albums from this genre to the side. It’s consistent from start to finish and although it runs together at times, it keeps the listener entertained. If Glass Casket can continue to put together efforts such as this, there should only be good things in store for them. |
Review: Skare Tactic - Remember When
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There really are a lot of bands out there that play generic old school hardcore. Skare Tactic is exactly one of those bands. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but there’s really nothing special about this album. It’s got energy, passionate lyrics, and breakdowns, but then again, so does every other album from this genre. I don’t want to pick on Skare Tactic because the band pulls off what they wanted with this album. Remember When is fast-paced from start to finish. Keith Boyle shouts out angry, heartfelt lyrics. The band backs him up with typical breakdowns and blastbeats. The problem is that there is nothing new brought to the table. The album runs together and bores the hell out of me. I’m sure I have mentioned before that this isn’t my genre, and I don’t mean to attack the bands that play this style of music, but I really have trouble giving them a lot of praise. I know that they work hard just like any other band out there, but the lack of innovation pulls them down. Not to mention, the fact that this album is 11 songs long, but there are 27 tracks and 15 of them are just four seconds of silence is enough to really irritate me. |
