In Control "The Truth Hurts" CD
[Indecision]
I didn't know what to expect from this band at all, but it's a mix of fast old school styled hardcore with some great mid-90's styled metalcore breaks and raspy shouts. On occasion they throw in a great dissonant chord progression (see "It's Coming Down"), a more metallic rhythm (not so much in a contemporary way), or some punk, but not one song runs over two minutes... they keep things moving. "Sixteen Years" offers up a totally different sound that's more melodic and sort of has a punk edge, which is exemplified even more in "Once Upon a Town". Meanwhile "When the Well Runs Dry" displays faster picking and vocal patterns, suggestive of a crossover vibe. Go figure. The production is alright. This actually sounds like it came out in the latter half of the 90's, because it's just a little bit raw, but not enough to really hold it back. And they've also got that really plunky and defined bass tone (though it's not quite mixed loud enough to show off the great basslines). I could deal with some more brightness/clarity, but it sounds pretty decent. The layout is all black and white and dull blue, with some live band photos and then some illustrations that seem to cover a wide range of social/political topics (the cover has images of a meat packing plant, cops in riot gear, city traffic, a homeless kid, a prison, etc.). The lyrics fit that imagery with a mix of personal, political, and scene related content, and I like that blend, though the blunt personal material sometimes has the most impact: "You say 'positive', I say 'fuck that', Give me some reality, You're not going to succeed every time you try, That's how it goes, that's fucking life." In the end this is a good disc, but to me something feels like it's missing. Unfortunately I can't put my finger on what that is, because I do like this, but it doesn't truly excite me. Good, not great... but good, for sure. (6/10)
Running time - 19:17, Tracks: 14
[Notable tracks: The Truth Hurts, He Fails Me, It's Coming Down, Just Can't Win]
Indecision Records - http://www.indecisionrecords.com

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