Underminded "The Task of the Modern Educator" CD
[self-released]
Hmmm... I didn't really know what to expect from this band, but I didn't particularly have in mind the melodic brand of hardcore/pop punk that they have to offer. It's pretty good, though. The performance needs some tightening up here and there, but I can get into this. The riffing is an energetic blend of chord progressions and note-based emo riffing alongside raspy singing vocals that really have a very distinct ring. There are lots of octave chords and some harmonics at work, as well as some chunkier breaks, but a lot of this stuff has that token start/stop feel of classic pop punk, but there's also a dirtier edge that reminds me of a more polished Grimple on occasion as well (partly due to the vocals). It's catchy material, but not in a cheesy way, or at least not to me. There's no denying the infectious qualities of tracks like "Song for Battle Cry" or "Break the Silence". The recording's not bad at all. The only thing I'd do would be to make the guitars a little harder on the distortion. Right now the distortion is close to being dead on, but it's somewhat ragged, so some of the more "technical" riffing comes off as sounding a bit broken up and sloppy. The bass is very defined though, and the drums sound fine. The vocals sound perfect. I'd adjust the levels so that the vocals would fall in line with the music a tiny bit more, but they're on the right track. The layout is fucking excellent and certainly doesn't give off the impression that this EP is self-released. The package is totally professional, all of the imagery and textures look great, the appearance is consistent, the colors are nice... all around I really enjoy it. Lyrically things could be better, but I'm more concerned with how things look, and the visuals are highly effective. "It's the way you've been for quite some time, Excommunication bled fuck you, We don't need you in our lives, That's why we started... (the) excommunication..." This band is sure to end up on a decent label soon. This is a great disc for a self-released EP. With a budget and a little more practice I'd be very curious to hear what these dudes could come up with. Good stuff... (6/10)
Running time - 22:14, Tracks: 6
[Notable tracks: Break the Silence, Song for Battle Cry]
Underminded - http://www.underminded.com

This review has been displayed 1627 times.