Consumed
Pistols At Dawn
BYO
Pistols at Dawn is the latest Consumed record. It finds the band still plugging away at the melodic hardcore with lots of quick “jud, jud” guitar parts, occasionally over-pronounced British accents (they must think this makes them more credible, or something) and sing-songy choruses. No, this is not the record that will save the world, but it is a fine album that shows that Consumed has developed into a strong and quite capable melodic punk band.
The last Consumed record I owned was Hit For Six, and I wasn’t much impressed with it, as it seemed tired and stale. While they seemed to be going through the punk rock motions on that one, Pistols at Dawn showcases a band that can really bust out some aggressive music and mix it with lyrics that can both be heard and easily sung along with. There are a ton of melodic parts, a la NOFX or Good Riddance, that get stuck in one’s head even more so that the lyrics. I always enjoy that. There’s also a bit of exploration with strange melodies and syncopation, as evidenced by the Punk In Drublic-era NOFX-esque “Take it on the Chin.” The guitars start out with almost a Middle-Eastern feel, yet they’re very fast and uppity, giving way to a cool guitar harmony that brings everything together. This is probably my favorite song on the record, as I still can’t get it out of my head.
For the most part, the songs here are well developed, competently written and actually have a certain amount of genuine emotion, something that seemed to be lacking from their last full length. Melodic punkers, this one’s worth a listen!
BYO Records: http://www.byorecords.com/ • Consumed: http://www.consumedhq.com/
