-(16)- perfected & lethal with THE album of 2009
Tony Bledsoe | uglyknuckles.com | 02/20/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I had a friend named Mike Rogers who introduced me to -(16)- around 1996 through his zine, Sociopathic Despair. He said it best. To paraphrase, he wrote something like; "I've heard -(16)- described as hardcore, doom, sludge and even power-violence. The truth however is that -(16)- are just mean."
He was right. It's nearly impossible to nail -(16)- down to a specific genre. Comparisons to early Helmet, the first record from Fudge Tunnel, Eyehategod and the short-lived band Pulkas all come to mind. For me, though, -(16)- are defined by groove. I've always liked to describe them as Groove-core. There are hooks, riffs and down-tuned aggression that would emasculate all of the bands -(16)- are often compared to on their best day. Add vocalist & lyricist Cris to the mix, and it becomes a massacre. The man sounds like a hardcore vocalist of the caliber of John Brannon filtered through Satan's own PA system. His lyrics are what Charles Bukowski might have written if he'd seen the streets of Los Angeles and the Orange County Medical Center's Psych Ward through the fevered eyes of Hieronymus Bosch. The music isn't always slow. It isn't always fast. With each band member bringing influences as diverse as hardcore, punk, metal and grindcore, the only thing you can assume about -(16)- is that their music is always mean.
I've now been listening to their latest, Bridges to Burn for a solid month. I've played it in excess of twenty times, I've ingested it, thought about it, played the -(16)- back catalog then returned to BTB for further study, and I can honestly say, as a long time fan, this is the perfect -(16)- record. It's a 10 on every level. Production and engineering are a 10, and whoever mixed this record should be on top of the industry, because you can hear every instrument and Cris' vox seamlessly, which isn't easily done with heavy, relentless music. It really is a perfect mix. BTB sounds like -(16)- had a major label recording budget. I don't think Rick Rubin could have made it sound any better. This is also the perfect, absolutely definitive -(16)- lineup. Founding members Jason Corley on drums, Cris Jerue on voice and Bobby Ferry on the guitar. While not a founding member, bassist Tony Baumeister was the first full time bass player the band had and has proven to be the definitive one. This is the -(16)- line-up. Period. It's definitive, and they have never been tighter than on this record. Cris sounds like he's bringing up blood on every track. All the songs kill and the record is balanced perfectly. Lyrics are tight. Most importantly and most impressive is that there's an energy and attitude on this record that no engineer could have fabricated during the production process. It had to come from the guys behind the music and words. On this record these guys were totally switched on and crushing with perfect symbiosis. Bridges to Burn is the perfect -(16)- record. Thank you to label Relapse Records for finally treating this band with respect and ensuring that BTB will be distributed properly and easy to find.
There's not a weak track in sight, but if you want my choices for most punishing aural assaults, just start with "Skin and Bones", follow it up with "Me and My Shadow" and "Man Interrupted". By the time you get to "Monday Bloody Monday", with the most vicious chorus on the disc, you should be scraping yourself up off the floor with a spatula right in time to have your teeth knocked out by "Permanent Good One".
On January 20th, the record of the year for 2009 was released. It's as simple as that."
Something Different For Lovers Of Heavy Music! Only 2 other
SICK PRAWN | PARTS UNKNOWN | 02/28/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am giving this 5 Stars due to the fact that I absolutely love the sound of this CD! The drums, bass, and guitar are recorded with an almost-live in a dark, dingy, garage feel that is just brutally raw, but polished just enough not to sound over-produced. The songs have grooves and changes that are absolutely sick! Guitar solos are where they need to be and not 75% of the way through each song. The solos do not play at a volume louder than everything else going on. You can understand the angst-laden lyrics. No annoying growling here. I would describe this as Ultra-Heavy-Grunge-Punk-Metal, but that's just my opinion. I heard "Skin and Bones" on cable TV on a channel that plays music and decided to buy this CD. I have enjoyed it ever since. I spend hundreds of dollars a year buying music and this is one of my top favorite surprise purchases I have bought in awhile. "Skin and Bones" delivers the goods and so do the rest of the tracks. Ever buy a CD and that one song you heard is the only good song? I hate when that happens!
I see that a reviewer basically said they are Unsane imitators. I will have to check out some Unsane too then. I have also heard of Melvins, but never owned a disc of theirs. I was into the popular grunge music at that time... Soundgarden, AIC, STP, Nirvana, ect... so I am ignorant to how they may sound like Unsane.
This music seems very refreshing and different than so much of the Nu-Metal and Metalcore stuff out there right now. It simply is just that.. and with excellent results!"
Great heavy stuff, but it owes a huge debt to Unsane
ifutureman | NJ | 03/01/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"These guys are drop-dead heavy. The sound is raw and polished at the same time, and the intensity hits me right in the guts, just the way I like it. But the similarities to Unsane border on ridiculous at times. The vocalist sounds uncannily like Chris Spencer; and the bass, drums and guitars all closely resemble Unsane's sound too. In fact, if someone had played this for me and told me it was a new Unsane album, I wouldn't have batted an eyelid. Basically this sounds like Unsane filtered through the Melvins.
Don't get me wrong; since I love Unsane, I also love this. But it's not the most groundbreaking work (although they are powerful enough to take down buildings) I ever heard."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1