Hope and Suicide/Emmanuel.7 "split" CD
[Protocol One]
Hope and Suicide kicks this off with five tracks that are a lot different than those on their last EP. It's still really rhythmic and blends melody and heaviness with Scott Angelacos' snarling vocals/singing, but the singing is way better this time (cleaner and more consistent), and the music a lot quirkier. There are some caustic riffs and odd time signatures, post-hardcore textures, and even some straight up melodic emo stuff, which they pull off well. I'm not that into some of the more jarring and noisy elements at all, but I really like the straightforward melodic chord progressions a lot, and sometimes they hit on borderline catchy moments. Ironically the best song on their half is "Life in the Dirt Rock City", which sticks out like a sore thumb with all of its full blown heavy southern rock influences!? Go figure. The recording could use a bit more low-end from the bass, but I don't mind anything else. The mix is clear and pretty even, everything sounds decent, etc. The lyrics are as cryptic as ever, "Subjugate divide and conquer, Procreate a vicious mind, That disappears into obsession, Hides behind the mind's eye, Reconcile the desperate sinner, He's the one your savior favors, For his weakness and pristine mind..." Overall this is an improvement over the EP, but I think they'd really nail it if they threw out some of the unnecessarily loose, abrasive chords/notes in favor of their knack for infusing melody into rhythmic structures and generally straightforward arrangements. Emmanuel.7 also offers up five tracks, sounding not so unlike Hope and Suicide, but without much melody. It's very rhythmic and moderately paced with throaty vocals and some slightly more caustic moments in the guitar department. "No Time Like Never" does have a quick clean break with some singing, but those moments are few and far between. "Syntax Error" is a terrible song through and through, with some godawful Rage Against the Machine sounding guitar effects and a generally obnoxious disposition that I just can't deal with. They close with an over the top cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues", complete with nice samples of Cash for an intro. As far as the production goes, it's not bad. In some ways it's dry and has a little extra midrange/treble hanging around, but I can live with it. There's a raw edge at times that isn't really necessary, and the cymbals jump out during some of the flashier fills, but overall it's decent. The lyrics seem to be abstractly political at times, but definitely have a personal thread as well. "We've driven a resistant stake into the ground, An uncomfortable situation, Built on pillars of sand I am less than a man, I'm dying I'm trying to be then the failure I was before..." I'm still not won over by these guys, but not bad. The layout's so-so, I'm not that interested in it. The lyrics are clean and well arranged, the colors employed are consistent, etc. But the imagery is pretty weak and the quality lacks... I don't know, it just seems a little rushed and bland in the end. Overall this is a good split, but it's not really hitting me. Hope and Suicide has come a long way but needs to tweak it a little more, and Emmanuel.7 is more consistent, but just not consistent enough. I think there are some songwriting issues with each band that leave things hanging as far as having some great parts but few great songs, but I'm pickier than most, so who knows? (6/10)
Running time - 35:30, Tracks: 10
[Notable tracks: Sal the Snitch, Life in the Dirt Rock City, Talent and Torment, Folsom Prison Blues]
Protocol One Records - http://www.protocol1.com

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