Julie Christmas : "Ridiculous and Full of Blood"

If you do not know Ms. Christmas from Made out of Babies then I am going to just go ahead and assume you know her from the album she did with Cult of Luna. The musicians she recruited to help her with this album provide a reasonable expectation of what sonic zip codes it's going take us in, as they include the guitarist from Cult of Luna, the drummer from Spotlights, KEN Mode's bassist, and John from Candiria adding guitars as well. So pretty every genre with post in front of it. Julie adds a playfully unhinged enthusiasm to her vocal performance, that reminds me a little of Rasputina. But with less baroque wistfulness. 

The first two songs are straightforward almost rock songs and the more profound experimentation does not occur until "The Ash" which lumbers like a robot coming to life. The angular ambiance works well to counterbalance her more emotive performance. If Bjork were to dabble in rock music that rocker harder than the Sugarcudes the results might be similar. "Think Skin " hits hard, with a burly bass and her more screamed vocals. She does not commit to her full-on growl until "End of the World" which wanders into more sludge-infested waters, though with rock hooks worked in. At 48 her voice continues to hold up well.  "Silver Dollars' covers more ground, but is less focused, though very true to who she is. 

"Kids" is more hopeful, almost coming closer to an Arcade Fire-like celebration of sound. 'the Lighthouse" wanders back to a more reflective groove. This gives her voice more room to be fully nuanced. It builds into a heavier explosion, that feels like a 90s soft-to-loud moment. "Blast " is more chaotic and carries noise -rock tendencies. The last song looms like a storm as it moves with a doomy trudge. Her vocals dictate the dynamics. Lyrically I can appreciate the "no god or heaven" sentiments. Overall this album is a great listen, she is true to her creative identity and always full of surprises, I will give it a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. 

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KEN Mode : "VOID"

 

I have enjoyed the darker direction these guys have slid further down with each album. This time they are returning to their noise rock roots by lashing out as they open the album with a blistering hardcore banger. The drumming propels the second song in a more punk direction.  This might not be as dark, but I appreciate the feel of the late 90s hard-core capture with the more melodic moments of  "These Wires". They explode as necessary, but it has the dynamic range that hardcore these do not typically carry.  

"We're Small Enough" is an interesting instrumental piece that blends synths with angular math rock that flows with haunting melodic grace. "I Cannot" has the scathing metallic chug that I want from these guys, This album feels like it is looking inside more whereas the last was a scathing sermon to society. They do gain enough sonic heft with this song to rival Converge's heavier moments. 

"A Reluctant of Being" is darker, as it brings back the sax. There is a dissonant feel as it works off a droning feel. It does build into an angry chant, which shows dynamic range. Things get creepier with the inner turmoil vented on "He Was a Good Man, He Was a Taxpayer" It builds up into more deliberate anger than the previous song, but circles similar sonic ground. The sax returns for the last song which is a little more thoughtful, leaving a sonic spaciousness that is still more creeping than post-rock. I will give this album a 9 , I like that they are doing here, but prefer the darker direction of  "Null" over this so while it's better than most, it's not their best . 

the Top 10 Hard Core Albums of 2022

Given the state of 2022 it might be surprising that hard core did not get angrier this year. Not that I am into political music, but most of this is rather emotional. This year punk and hard core are getting separate lists. Ok now that that is out of the way, much like in years past sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. The fact these artists made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 hard core albums of 2022

10-Inclination - "Unaltered Perspective" 

One of the dudes from Knocked Loose is in this band and there is a who's who or hard core that has a guest spot on this album, but at the end of the day what it comes down to is the songs. They are hard core, which means they are angry. We have the screamed vocals which are convincing. Even though they have captured a sound it does not mean they have abandoned all song writing, as there are still moments that give the in-your-face hyper aggression structure.

Abysmal Hymns: Inclination: "Unaltered Perspective"

9-Drug Church-"Hygiene" 

With each album this band has fine-tuned their songs just a little more. This album is a culmination of all the work they have put in since forming in 2011. There is sometimes a Mudhoney like swagger amid the dense fuzz of guitars, sometimes in this is a brighter hope to it like a less whiskey-soaked version of Hotwatermusic. The album hurtles forward with more reckless abandon Is it more punk? Sure, you could say that. The guitars are more sonic and not as layered. Overall, this has proven to be a burlier album than anything we have heard from them thus far.

Abysmal Hymns: Drug Church: " Hygiene"

8-Bitter Branches- "Your Neighbors are Failures"  

It is surprising this album did not garner more buzz considering it features former members of Deadguy and Kiss it Goodbye, this band from Philly has both brains and brawn when it comes to playing modern hard core. Equal Vision released this which is equally surprising as I did not know that label was still pumping out, music, The bass is burly and compliments the rowdier noise rock attitude. They sometimes employ a more herky jerky angular manner of attack when it comes to the riffs. There is some nice dissonance to even their warmest chords. 

Abysmal Hymns: Bitter Branches : "Your Neighbors are Failures"

 

7-Fleshwater- "We're Not Here to be Loved" 

Perhaps the most melodic album on this list it is where post -hardcore meets post-grunge. The band features members of Vein.Fm. It is sometimes in the neighborhood sonically of older Deftones.  The higher pitched crooned vocals, have the sleepy emoting of early Smashing Pumpkins. You can hear traces of bands like Failure and Quicksand, in the winding sinew of the riffs that snake around the crash of dynamic punches.

Abysmal Hymns: Fleshwater : "We're Not Here to be Loved"

 

6-Norma Jean - "Deathrattle Sing For Me" 

The band adds a great of nu metal like groove to their sound. More melodic yet creating an in-your-face explosion that comes closer to what you might typically expect from this band. While they are more neatly in the confines of what commercial mainstream metal core is doing, they have really perfected their song writing skills as this is superior to their previous album. Sure, there are some formulated metal core tropes in place but in terms of the overall sonics they are hitting you with this time around it is more interesting.

Abysmal Hymns: Norma Jean : "Deathrattle Sing For Me"

5-City of Caterpillar -"Mystic Sisters" 

This album by the screamo veterans blends atmosphere, emotion and intensity that I have not heard since Planesmistakenforstars were around. They build the explosions rather than being as overt and formula bound as the kids who followed in their footsteps. They use chaos rather than relying on unlocking a certain guitar sound. The second song find them with the kind of calculated musical mess that Fugazi used to create for themselves in their rowdier early days.

Abysmal Hymns: City of Caterpillar : "Mystic Sisters"

4- KEN Mode - "Null" 

What I liked right off the bat about the new Ken Mode album is it is darker and heavier. Random sax in the background gives more of an unsettling atmosphere. I also appreciate the lyrics which call out the trends of the present-day world that does not want to be called out unless it follows the witch hunt of the day is a powerful statement.  I wish more bands would find the balls to do this.

Abysmal Hymns: KEN Mode : " NULL"

3-Bloodclot- "Souls" 

Despite being the original singer of the Cro-Mags, the name goes to Harly who is doing ok with it. This is a blessing in disguise as I do not see John Joesph straying away from the Cro-mags more New York hard core sound to make a thrashing banger like this. Surprisingly more meat and potatoes hard core, but they do it well, since they invented it, the songwriting proves it.

Abysmal Hymns: Bloodclot : "Souls"

2-Callous Daoboys- "Celebrity Therapist" 

This Atlanta bands brings a spastic brand of screamo, that works in mathy passages amid the chaos. I can appreciate the weirdness being kicked around here. Is Mr. Bungle by way of Dillenger Escape Plan an influence?  This album was a lot of fun and grew on me with each listen. The scope of what they do beat out Bloodclot. 

Abysmal Hymns: the Callous Daoboys : "Celebrity Therapist"
 

1-Birds in Row- "Gris Klein" 

This French hard-core band is ready to live up to the anticipation for their newest album bringing all the explosive energy and urgent emotional catharsis. The shouted vocals are very serious even though their anguished screams at time sound more like punk than what we think of as hard core today, but the term hardcore, used to be hard core punk, and this is a good example of what that is, while not just sticking to the most commonplace blueprint. The sonic passages, feel more like what screamo bands have been doing over the past twenty years. Even in the fact of all the intensity they are expelling in these outbursts, they have still crafted dynamic, melodic songs. The nuanced interplay between the bass and drums, proves what great musicians these guys are. They do not need mathematic acrobatics but work of jerking grooves. This album is a must for anyone who wants emotional hard core with a sense of adventure

Abysmal Hymns: Birds in Row: "Gris Klein"

KEN Mode : " NULL"

What I like right off the bat about the new Ken Mode album is it is darker and heavier. Random sax in the background gives more of an unsettling atmosphere to the opening track.  I really appreciate the lyrics ... I would like to congratulate you /for buying into the same narrative/ as everyone else". To call out the present-day world that does not want to be called out unless it follows the witch hunt of the day is a powerful statement and I wish more bands would find the balls to do this. They continue on this path but with a more up-tempo aggression on "Throw Your Phone into the River". The burly bass tone they got is a bolster to their sound. 

From m a songwriting perspective the industrial drone of "The Tie" is not as interesting compositionally, but the fact they are willing to experimental more here makes it hard to fault them for it.  I like the stomping groove of "But They Respect My Tactics". Lyrically I like the theme this album is going with. This is an interesting listen from the other end of the spectrum from what I just heard it the new Bird in Row album. These guys have embraced a more muscular mind set, which makes them the more aggressive of the two bands. Overall, I would say this album is darker m but more of a externalized apocalyptic sense rather than the internal emotive feel of Bird in Row. 

They headed into an even darker place on "Lost Grip" , which finds this ten-minute song hinging on how focused they are to stew in the brooding like a doom band might be inclined to. When the go rumbling of the rails on "the Desperate Search for an Enemy" they tend to sound more like other bands in the same sonic zip code, but it is not a deal breaker. The industrial shant of the last song, drones on , but is effective, it just takes a left turn from what I think are this album's strength aside from the fact it is dark. I will give this album a 9.5, which might make it one of this band's best yet.  

Trillonaire :" Romulus"

 

They are not too far out of the sonic spectrum of say the more prog latter days of Mastodon. The vocals are more ambitious. They fall somewhere between Pain of Salvation and Devin Townsend. There is some belted rock grit to them. The opening track does grow on me , but is not as good as the lead single "Dead By 25" is ambitious and more compact and catchy. The vocals are a little more toned down and serve the song. This makes the chorus punch. Is the delivery still pretty dramatic and vibrato filled? Yes. There is a more rock kick to what is happening here than your average modern prog rock. 

"Underwater" is still well done. The vocals are way multi tracked across the board. This gives it a more commercial hard rock sound. This big production gives it a late 90s feel. The post grunge elements are strong. I really dig the way the vocals are spitting on " Yes, Mistress" . There is an impressive dynamic shift in how the song breaks down midway into the song. So far this is my second favorite song on the album. "Temple of Mercy" is the first song that kind of feels like filler as there is not much that stands out in the way of hooks to distinguish it from any other high energy hard rock band. 

The album begins to run lower on gas in the creative department. Yes, the lead into "One in the Chamber' we as dreamy vocal. But this feels like it falls solidly in the prog wheelhouse and takes less chances. The melody does hook me. It is not a bad song, they just raised the bar high for themselves with the first three songs. They step on the gas for "We Are the Devil" . This one is more metallic in it's intentions. It almost reminds me of Anthrax. There is a proggy calm before the storm when they close the album out with "Northern Lights" . My opinion still holds the front end of this album is strong, great even, then kind falls into your typical modern metal/ hard rock, It is however even at it's most lackluster still well done so I will give this album an 8.5 .  

Various Artists : Helmet's "Meantime"(redux)

When the source material is this solid it's hard to wrong. Vocally most of these band's are going a harder route. It's not until Ken Mode bellies up to "Turned Out" that I recognize a band. Iron Weed goes with the more melodic vocal for "Give It" and makes them a band that I would like to take further note of. The first two bands I Become Death and Earthship, could basically be the same band they just happen to be covering really good songs. Sunflo'er takes on the song that would put them under the most scrutiny. They try to give more of their own touch, and fail big with the iconic chorus.This is a poor choice all the way around even in the face of their most creative efforts. I normally like these sort of things as it gives me a familiar forum to experience new bands, but in this case it also shows me bands to avoid.

Ken Mode doesn't really do anything special with "Turned Out". I would say the first three bands to a better job with their songs. Kings Destroy does a better with their take on "He Feels Bad". Meek is Murder's "Better" is easily tuned out and becomes background noise. The bare bones vocal of Iron Weed's "You Borrowed" is a bold move and instills more urgency to figure out what those guys are about.The Glorious Rebellion Plays it much safer on "FBLA II". Fuck the Fact doesn't really do much with "Role Model" .

Then come Helmet tributes from other albums. Fashion Week does a pretty good job with "I Know' to offer some redemption from the earlier mishaps. The best thing I have heard fro Rosetta might be their version of "Like I Care". Livver's version of "Sinatra" is ok, I don't feel much of a sense of who they are as a band. Heads are pretty true to "Blacktop" while altering the guitar tone it make it their own sluggish dirge. This version might even be more interesting than the original. Blackwolfgoat does a fine job with "Bad Mood". Brief Lives  uses a gruffer vocal tone for their shot at "Milquetoast" which I think after "Unsung" is going to be the song under the most scrutiny. Overall if you are a Helmet fan this is worth your time. Iron Weed seems to be the best band on here. I'll give this a 7.5.

the Top 10 Worst albums of 2015

Before you scream about the new Insane Clown Posse some Nu Metal band of Shinedown wannabe, it goes without saying that those are going to be bad so why even bother because they never made good music in the first place. So this list is for bands who should be making good music but are not.Some of these albums grew on me the wrong way and some of them were just terrible right out of the gate and listening to them all the way through really proved to be a test of endurence.

 10- Slayer : "Repentless"

 This one grew on me the wrong way and then the point was driven home by hearing how bad these songs are live.If we are going to be honest Slayer is as much Slayer as Kiss is Kiss at this point. We have two original members with Tom and Kerry playing the respective roles of Paul and Gene. So I went into this with trepidation considering how bad they were live this summer. My faith is wavered ever since I was a teen and they came out to evangelist Bob Larson saying they did not worship the devil and it was all a gimmick. At least with "Undisputed Attitude" they were covering punk songs rather than trying to pass them off as being metal.

9-Muerte : "LP"

If  you have too much punk in your post-punk it can be a problem, but these guys are just punk pretending to be darker than they are Your average punk band sounds like every other average punk bands it's only the great ones that stand out for the one ...two... three... go. Which is why I am pretty picky about what punk I listen to. The fact the lyrics are in Spanish also adds to the songs all having a similar sound since they are spat out in such a similar shouted tongue. The dynamics are really flat as every thing is full speed go and it's all a blur, the moments that don't fall into this are far and few between and nothing makes me want to return to this album once it is digested.

 


6-Ken Mode : "Success"

I sometimes forget that there is an entire generation of kids coming up now who missed out on the 90s . So this will sound like this album just came out of nowhere. They have Steve Albini on this album, which should take their post-hard core tinged noise rock to the next level.Should being the key word here.This album's main offense aside from sometimes boring me, was the annoying spoke to yelled vocals. They stepped out from behind the Amp Rep bandwagon, but have move into a much less flattering era of the 90s. I am surprised Steve signed on for this, but hey you gotta pay the rent some how.The album cover displayed how I felt about this one.






7-Goat Semen :"Ego Svm Satana"

 The fact this band is from South America is going against them. Black Metal seems best served by the northern Europeans. You might think this is a racist statement , but history speaks for it's self and this album proves my point. Despite all the apparent underground  buzz this band generated from splits and live albums before launching this debut, they hold more in common with grind core and punk in the hyper flurry of dirt blasts they throw your way. So if you think old Slayer is black metal, then this might work for you. Some of the Slayer worship is almost highway robbery. The way this album sucks it supports my thesis in regards to the superiority of Euro black metal.

6-The Black Dahlia Murder : "Abysmal"

 The Bland Dahlia Murder might be a better description of my first impression of this album . It races along with a rapid melo-death gallop. The second song"Vlad, Son of the Dragon" makes me think I am listening to Cradle of Filth if they left their keyboards at home. They get real blasty on the title track but it doesn't make me feel like this is black metal, yes... I know I just referenced Cradle of Filth, but I don't think they are black metal either.Color by numbers middle of the road death metal, with nothing distinguishable.

5- Nurse : "lp"

Atlanta is five years behind most musical trends, the death rock revival is not exception, and even judging by Nurse's new 7 inch it still has not been embraced as this album is just another punk rock 7" .  There is a slight darker tinge to the guitar on the opening song, but " I Can See You" throws that out of the window for obnoxious hard core punk with screamed vocals. This could be one of thousands of bands and is typical of Atlanta music that can't seem to grow up out of the punk rock thing as kids from the suburbs move into the city to go to college start a band like this and in fur years never to be heard from again and replaced by another band formed under similar circumstance. The most redeeming aspect of their music being a decent guitar tone, but if this is all funereal hardcore is then don't sign me up, however if I investigate this sub-genre outside of Atlanta, I would likely not find this to be the case.

4-Minsk : "The Crash & the Draw"
 This album made me think why listen to these guys when I could just listen to Neurosis?  The album sounds great. It is well produced. The more Tool like moments with clean vocals dominate are the albums stronger suits.The bulk of the album is centered around a multi-movement thematic piece called "Onward Procession", but by this juncture in the album every thing sounds like the song that proceeded it until nothing has  a defined shape of it's own and this is just one sludged out slab of sound. If you thought this was a masterpiece go listen to Neurosis' "Souls At Zero" album.

  3-Systematik : "Bondage"
 I ask punk bands to give me the same thing I ask from other forms of music...something that is dark,sardonic,depressing or contemplative in tone,as well as musical dynamic and textured. So you can guess where they tend to fall short in this regard.The singers snotty rasp laced temper tantrum is familiar all the way down to the sneered accents. The first riff that grabs me is on "Domination", but the lyrics are not intelligible enough to decipher if there is a bdsm theme running though the lp or not, though I begin to suspect this is one pissed gimp, though he is more than likely a "little" who needs his diaper changed. I would really be disappointed if I saw them live and they were not in all leather and latex. This is a good lesson in not trusting what a band tags themselves with on their Bandcamp page. They hath appointed themselves death-rock, new-wave and indie rock. The only death rock moment might be the bass tone that opens the album from their it is right to the gutter punk.The fact that Sabotage Records released this also go my hopes up as they have released a very diverse brand of darker punk and post-punk. This is really the first rotten apple in the barrel, though they did put out some more female lead post-punk which I'm about over.

2- Ommadon : "Empathy For the Wicked"
 The drumming is really the only impressive element to this. Tone alone only goes so far. There are plenty of bands who have found it that write actual songs with vocals and melody.This is droning but not in a hypnotic way. It quickly becomes background music to me as it seems the first song only has two parts to it in the first ten minutes.Five minutes into the next twenty minute song and it is hanging a difference that could only be measured as a vibration.If you like listening to this you also enjoy the sound of traffic out side your window in rain . The sound get denser and more machine like, but still refuses to become music by the ten and a half minute mark. This is time you will never get back.

1-Cloud Rat : "Qliphoth"

 Despite the politically correct out cry that women don't get enough opportunity or respect in metal, there is also the other side of the coin that if it was a man singing instead of a woman would a band like Cloud Rat get the same level of hype that they do? The first song off their new album finds them retreading similar ground. In fact the first two songs are a step backwards as they song like generic punk infused grind core.The guitar becomes a little more sonic on "The Upper World" its too bad the songwriting doesn't compliment it. I began to wonder how was I going to make it through this album after I had begun to feel like there is something more interesting I could be reviewing rather than having to endure this.So I decided to just try to write the things I like about  this album. I liked the title "Bloated Goat and I like that there are only eleven more songs after that one and it went down hill from there.One of the worst albums in recent or long term memory.

Ken Mode : "Success"

I sometimes forget that there is an entire generation of kids coming up now who missed out on the 90s . So this will sound like this album just came out of nowhere. They have Steve Albini on this album, which should take their post-hard core tinged noise rock to the next level. They drum sound gets pretty big and the album opens with some unique placement of its instruments. The guitars grunge out like the are from "In Utero". Vocals aside I can already say I like this better than their last album. It almost sounds like Rollins comes in on the end of the first song. The vocal narrative begins to gnaw on me on the second. There are some cool guitar sound, the bass kinda disappears, but the mix is odd all the way around.

There is a swing to the angular "The Owl..". The drumming is impressive, but does this make it a good song? They find a rowdy punk rock energy to kick into "I Just Liked Fire' that sounds like Black Flag colliding with At the Drive in. The annoying vocals lament about how we live in a privileged world on the more somber drive of "Management Control". By "A Passive Disaster" it is beginning to sound like a Rage Against the Machine b-side with out the solos. The song "Failing at Fun Since 1981" really lives up to its name. It is hardly worth paying attention to. The vocals stay the same though a more enjoyable tension is built on "A Catalogue of Small Disappointments". The get a little darker when they close out the album with a brooding bass line driving the song. This album's main offense aside from sometimes boring me, was the annoying spoke to yelled vocals. They stepped out from behind the Amp Rep bandwagon, but have move into a much less flattering era of the 90s. I am surprised Steve signed on for this, but hey you gotta pay the rent some how. They have moved away from metal and that doesn't bother me. I'll give this album a 4.5, some times it was OK back ground music , but after the first song never really grabbed me again. The album cover displays how I felt about it overall.

Ken Mode : "Entrench"

When I first listened to the Canadian post-hardcore band's new album , I wished I have downloaded Depeche Mode instead of Ken Mode , but after a closer listen through headphones I have warmed up to it. Matt Bayles produced it so it sounds great and all the instruments are well played. The thick riffs start off angular but not forsaking the power to rock you for mathematics.

A lot of this sort of thing clearly has descended from Botch, yet the Rollins yell that seems to have become increasingly popular amongst the hipsters riding the line between punk and metal these days, makes some of the songs less than memorable as they have a similar cadence. Are their touches of Amp Rep era bands? Check yes so it's hipster approved and Brooklyn Vegan will give them their seal of approval. But by the time it gets around to the third song "The Promises of God" this seems like a variation of the second song, though their is a little more crunch to one riff in particular and a cool smacking punch to a bridge breakdown, but just a cool riff or two does not a good song make or make a good song for that matter, though by the end of the third song they power through to redeem themselves as the vocals butch it up into say Nails territory.

Theres a more metal take on things with the song "Daeodon" where some of the riffing is less apologetic about being into metal. Which is feeling I get that they are trying to save face with their punk friends. The chorus gets more Rollins but the almost sludgey grunge to the verses make up for it and apologies aside they are good at what they do I have no doubt they can pull all of this off as tightly at rattling volumes live which give them a stong case as a band.

The math punk flares up on "Why don't you Just Quit". Im still trying to figure out though why this album should be in my iPod instead of Pissed Jeans. It's slicker and more metal, making me curious if the whole Rollins thing is a new turn of events or if they used to sound more like Mastodon. There a melodic chord progression I like on this one but that doesn't make it a song.

There's a very Filth Pig feel to the opening of "Figure Your Life Out". The ambiance hovering over the bass line is a nice touch they need to break thing son this one up a bit. The guitar work is very fluid and I like they way they move the song along but the vocals have really begun to bore me by this point. The "this is my black hole" line works but would be more effective if this Unsane type of vocal phrasing had been more intresting. When the song congeals into a tightly chugged riff that swells up by the end it works a lot better.

The gears switch by the beginning of "Monomyth". There is some delicate post-rock guitar, which I like because I want to hear a band that has a range of dynamics to what they do. Though by the two and a half minute mark you are ready for this to go somewhere, so pacing can be an issue for these guys. When the strings come in sure it sounds good but the song still just feels like an intro. So the fact they can't blend this into their normal song framework makes this interlude a little pointless.

They crash back into a more typical form with the Convergish "Your Heartwarming Story Makes Me Sick" it shows one thing which is their heavy is not as convincing as Converge's, in fact the riffs come across as bland until the break down at the end. The post-rock guitar sound returns on "Romeo Must Never Know" the vocal whisper changes it up and the bass line reminds me of a Kylesa song, but all the above is an improvement. The drums back off and the bass takes the controls and there is almost some singing on the chorus, it's the very monotone Jesu type thing and the way the drums crash back in has a Swans feel to it making this instantly my favorite song so far. In the final three mintues they bring back the punch they have had for most of the album but I think it is more effective here and the single note stuff the guitar does is some of the best work on the album.

"the Terror Pulse" has a more muscular throb to it. The distorted bass line is thick and oozes a coat of grime over the song like a monster slug. It builds into a more predictable post-hardcore part, which I suppose could pass for a chorus. Back to the cool cool idea but when they fall after a really good song then this sort of thing feels like filler. The angry pacing builds up into a very nineties hardcore section. The last chance for them to redeem themselves lies in the hands of "No, I'm Charge" that runs along the same lines of a bass heavy distorted steamroller with the Boot Camp yell over it. There is some Mathy syncopation jammed into the corners and the guitar coasts over top but it doesn't feel like it going anywhere this album hasn't already taken us.

I'll give this album a six , there's potential and a couple stand out songs, but they don't provide enough dynamics to an album that falls upon being a one trick pony for the most part this would have been really innovative shit in the late nineties but having lived through that period already it doesn't do much more me now, how ever if you are stuck in that time period or too young to have been there then it might be worth your while as they do a good job of pulling it of but how many of these sort of bands do we need today?