Damn, it's a shame the layout on this thing blows ass and doesn't really represent the band that well, because this some pretty damn good melodic hardcore with an old school sort of ring to it, as well as a few punk influences (namely in the busy basslines and some of the gang backup vocals). The vocals are just yelled, and sort of remind me of Count Me Out against the musical backdrop (at times reminiscent of later Turning Point - hell, there's even an ounce of slap bass), but I think this band needs to tighten up their performance a bit before they really make a mark. The writing is pretty memorable and they have a lot of great riffs, they use melody very well, but a lot of times the instruments get slightly out of synch with one another, and that can be a hindrance. I'm not sure the solos really make sense, especially the tapping runs in "In Your Hands", but I really enjoy the energy of the melodic chord progressions, and the vocalist is awesome. The recording's not bad, but it could use some work. The bass has a really dominant presence, which I love, but the guitars lack fluidity and sort of fall to the side. The vocals sound great, and the drums sound pretty good, but they need to work on the placement of the instruments and do a little something with the guitar sound. The layout needs a major overhaul here. Thankfully the front cover looks okay, but aside from the band photos none of the imagery has anything in common and makes no sense whatsoever, and a lot of the text inside the booklet is pixilated and sloppy to an absolutely unforgivable degree. The lyrics are straightforward "stabbed in the back" types of things, dealing with betrayal and dishonesty and whatnot. This band could be fucking excellent if they keep at it. Minor improvements on the recording, a tighter performance, and a layout that doesn't look like it was done 10 years ago could bring this band to the fore if you ask me... the songwriting is definitely nearing the mark.
[383]
Running time - 14:23, Tracks: 5
[Notable tracks: Chains to Threads, The Last Goodbye]
383 Records, P.O. Box 517, Hamburg, NY 14075 -
