Hmmm, don't judge a book by its cover, eh? This has "emo" written all over it, but then you pop it in only to be greeted by an unexpectedly evil guitar harmony that breaks into some spastic metalcore that I'm a little torn on. Why am I torn, you ask? Well, because there are elements here that kick ass, and there are elements that are pretty weak. More specifically, the churning breakdowns and mosh rhythms are actually pretty good, as are the thrashy picking patterns where they pick up the speed but still keep it simple and heavy. Hell, "Pop Culture in Houston" even opens with some very tactful melodic Swedish riffing. Where's the catch? First of all, the vocals. The vocals are basically hoarse screams, but I'm not into 'em. It's rare for me to really find this style of vocals to be weak (unoriginal or uninteresting, sure), but they're really not cutting it here. The heaviness of the music really calls for something burlier and more in your face. Aside from that, it's mainly songwriting that keeps this material from really going somewhere. Sure, there are a few minimally discordant or chaotic death metal-ish riffs that I'm not into, but those riffs could work if the songs were constructed with more transitions and organization, rather than switching from riff to riff to riff to riff. The tracks run around three minutes each, so they're not too long, but more direction and focus could really hone in on their strengths. The last five tracks are from the "Private Conflicts and Suicides" EP, released way back in 1999 through Pluto Records. Things are similar, perhaps a little slower and chunkier with more basic European metalcore riffing, but still displaying a wide range of influences. Though, truthfully, some of the earlier compositions are a little stronger since they're more streamlined (notably "Eggshell"). The new songs sound pretty good. The bass needs to be given more of a home in the center of the mix to fill the gaps (which might also help thicken things up and cover some of the vocals' weaknesses), and the percussion could also use a little more meat, but I like the controlled distortion on the guitars, and for the most part the mix keeps things balanced. The old tracks sound similar but slightly rawer, though the basslines are far more prominent, which is nice. The vocals are a lot more acerbic as well, since there's some kind of fucked up filter over the screaming that adds an extra bite... and I kind of like it, actually. The layout's pretty minimal, with a photo spanning the outer booklet of a woman on a bed with papers and a business-y looking handbag, and the lyrics on the inner panels on a plain white background. I'm not clear on what the art is supposed to represent, but whatever. The content of the songs is abstract and personal, nothing special really, though they could be worse. I guess they're just a bit stale for this style: "The sun becomes a sliver and silently drifts away leaving you with the choice to kill your flesh dead and cold as you lie there breathless your wings begin to form and the whispers of mockery leave your soul..." Not bad. I'm not won over, but this is better than I had anticipated. If these guys can lock down their songwriting they'll be set.
[Hand of Hope]
Running time - 30:22, Tracks: 9
[Notable tracks: Ennis, TX, Eggshell, Zero-Nine-Three-Zero]
Hand of Hope Records - http://www.handofhoperecords.com
