Ignite

A Place Called Home (TVT)
by Tim Den

I’ve always lumped Ignite together with bands like Avail and Good Riddance. You know: the spirit and muscle of hardcore mixed with dashes of pop-punk that make it more accessible. But I knew even before I heard A Place Called Home that Ignite was the best of the bunch, if for no other reason than because the others were simply awkward combinations and bad attempts at mixing the wrong elements of two great genres. Ignite, on the other hand, effortlessly make their songs melodically important (due to vocalist Zoli Teglas’ unique, high-pitched yell) and adrenaline-arousing. “Fill in the Blanks,” possibly the best song on the record, is the best example. It kicks into high gear from the get-go and never lets up, propelling you into the air to finger-point and sing-along (even though you can’t possibly hit the notes that Teglas is singing) before driving you into the pit with its breakdown. All the while, the smooth sound production and Teglas’s command of his three octave voice will keep you amazed. This band has never sounded better.
(23 E. 4th St. New York, NY 10003)