We’re All Gonna Die

The Wreck of The Minot (Underdogma)
by Craig Regala

The second release from the boys from Boston makes use of teenage years spent at hardcore/thrash shows and listening to the hot shit rocker stuff from Seattle’s big four (Soundgarden, Tad, Alice In Chains, Nirvana), and the tension release thing that Helmet shared with Pantera. It’s got the rock/metal language and tempos nailed with the attack and economy of their moshin’ youth. Moving up from the previous Go to Hell disc into The Wreck…, the guys show their compositional flexibility within their chosen mode/identity. No pick’n’choose bullshit here, just full-on rock that uses a few more shades from the paint box. By launching melodies like that of “Violence and Laughter” within the crunch is like taking a couple lung fulls of pure oxygen. It’s not a different substance, just fuller, stronger, and brighter. This is the kinda thing a rock station not beholden to programming solely major label stuff could drop in after the Deftones and before Metallica. I mean, c’mon, this is a full-service record, one-stop shopping at We’re All Gonna Die‘s Rockland.
(www.underdogma.com)