There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing a British band take on the Yanks at pretty much their own game and piss all over them. The ‘Nostalgia for Beginners’ EP and Winter In June split really hinted at what was to come, but for Steel Rules Die ‘The Hemmingway Solution’ is the culmination of what we all hoped. Put simply, this is a genre-defining album; a record which wears a heart on its sleeve, mixing aggression and melody in equal measure to create a near perfect record.
Having already supported the likes of AFI, Strike Anywhere and Grade, the Leicester quartet have already been held in high regard by the ‘industry’. A swift move from IATDE to Reflections Records has resulted in this 11-tracker – an album which will surely rocket them into CD players across the world. The Hot Water Music comparisons will probably continue, mainly because of the vocal similarities, but I’d be as bold as to say this album is better than ‘Caution’.
Those are heady words I know, but tracks like ‘Letter of Resignation’ and ‘The Past’ are beefy anthemic slabs of post-hardcore. “Don’t give up on me,” they sing (I say they because there’s layers of vocals to create a wicked harmony) and it’s this level of desperation which adds to the effect. There are far too many highlights to mention; ‘Sunny Albany’ is a stormer, ‘Punch Your Weight’ fantastic and ‘Soulless Architect’ fast and furious. Then there’s the curveball ‘Here’s Looking At You, Kid’ which breaks up the tempo perfectly.
Steel Rules Die have created a beast of a record that will surely take them to the next level. It’s got that No Idea Records kinda quality to it and easily sits alongside records by some of their US peers. ‘The Hemmingway Solution’ is well produced with thick and crunchy guitars and the lyrics are introspective and talk of dreams and desires as well as love and loss. The fact that SRD are British is literally the icing on the cake. If this isn’t in the critics annual top 10’s come December, it’s going to have been an amazing year for music…
www.steelrulesdie.com
Reflections Records
Paul