I had no idea what to expect from this ‘un. I thought it’d be a ska-based NOFX rip off because of the name, but instead I get a politically aware collection of nine songs. Sorry, make that a very good politically aware collection of nine songs. This one is definitely a grower, but persevere and thou shalt be rewarded, my children.
‘Ten Too Many’ opens proceedings and is a rythmically pummelling track which is bolstered by a guitar solo that actually doesn’t seem over-indulgent. The whole song has a strong sense of rythmn, as would befit any quality hardcore song, and feeds nicely into ‘You Don’t Exist’. The vocals have a distinctive sound that is reminiscent of Brett from Bad Religion but with a more throaty growl, and the backing screams contribute and contrast effectively while not entirely overshadowing the main vocal line. Changes of tempo make the whole thing sound bigger – Dil’s drumming seems to guide the song’s tone from hardcore to a more melodic bent as the track progresses.
A more all-out hardcore audience will definitely find favour with ‘A Bruise’, which is blisteringly fast and abrasive. While the guitar lines may become a touch repetitive at times, there is a very good Five Knuckle-esque interlude which, while only lasting a few seconds, acts as both an interlude and entry point for the second half of the song. It’s worth noting that the musicianship throughout the album is most impressive. Okay, so no one’s going to be writing sonnets about the riffs, but they fit the violence and passion of the lyrics so perfectly, and the overall result is like a brick in a sock – unsubtle, yet effective. This is demonstrated most pertinently on the ‘To The Future’, which is, in my opinion, the strongest track on the album. Lyrically, it paints a bleakly evocative picture of society today without ever sounding clichéd or trite. The tone is almost like System Of A Down in places, since the Eastern European scales are very similar (Note: this is no bad thing. SOAD are very good.).
‘Operation: Never’ could be Capdown possessed by Rocket From The Crypt, and ‘Plumpetty Plump’ is fuelled by a riff that underlines the screamed vocals. Neither are particularly impressive but do keep the overall tone of the album. It’s not as if they’re poor, but not quite as vitriolic or technically impressive as some of the rest of the tracks. ‘How To Bury Children’ swiftly makes amends, and the SOAD influence rears its head again in a poundingly heavy verse which leads into a more melodic (but only slightly…) chorus.
I’m so tempted to write ‘Zorba The Greek’ as what the opening riff to ‘Washington Quit Us’ most reminds me of, but it just wouldn’t seem right. It’s a jangly, meandering riff which is another example of how unlike the pack Reeko are. Gun culture is questioned and the song builds itself up into a powerful climax of noise before burning out. ‘Steel Helmets Under A Cold Sun’ concludes this album and brings to the fore the Bad Religion-style vocals melded with a more traditional hardcore musical style, and using the time-honoured technique of quiet-loud-quiet in constructing a brooding, powerful finale might seem familiar, but still sounds fresh. I really wasn’t sure about this album at first, because it doesn’t have the sheer violent immediacy of Stampin’ Ground, but nor is it as oblique as Glassjaw, since there are melodic moments and hooks. But it is most impressive, and deserves a wide audience.
Ben
Link: www.reeko.co.uk