‘Career Suicide’ leaves fans screaming for more
By Richard Hall,
Contributing
Writer
New Bedford, Mass. has given the nation some reasons to smile — Frederick Douglas, Allen Haskell and Hetty Green, to name a few. But when 1996 came around, New Bedford birthed A Wilhelm Scream, an intense melodic hardcore band, which just happens to have released one of the most prominent albums of this decade.
In 2005, the band released “Ruiner” — a mean thrash of a record.
Just when fans thought the five-piece couldn’t get any rougher, they introduced the 13-track onslaught “Career Suicide” on Oct. 9.
Aggressive, precise and melodious, “Career Suicide” represents all that is good about the melodic hardcore genre, and A Wilhelm Scream.
The band’s strength lies in the musicians’ abilities to harness their own individual sound. They did it with “Ruiner,” but “Career Suicide” sounds more refined, defined and pronounced.
No doubt “Career Suicide” is its own island, but the band’s influences — mostly Strike Anywhere and Propagandhi — cut through, and the album pays somewhat of an homage to them.
The opening track, “I Wipe My Ass with Showbiz,” sets the tone for the rest of the album. The thick, menacing guitars, and energetic and excited vocals mesh well together to paint a destructive yet fun picture.
Several tracks later, “Jaws 3, People 0” opens with a barrage of F-bombs, which, at first, seems to take away from the overall feel of the song. However, after further listening, the track is liable to become a fan favorites.
People who have listened to A Wilhelm Scream before, or are familiar with the melodic hardcore genre, know that there’s a certain degree of pop-ness involved in the writing process of the music. “Career Suicide” is scarce with that element, especially when compared to “Ruiner,” but where it does happen, it goes over well.
Track 12, “Check Request Denied,” is one such song. The chorus is so catchy, once people decipher vocalist Nuno Per-eira’s lyrics, they’ll be forced to sing along.
There are a couple things that stick out most with this album.
First is the musicianship. Guitarists Chris Levesque and Trevor Reilly provide monster sound. Finger-tapping is abundant and thick riffs litter the album. All the while bassist Brian Robinson reinvents the feel and sound lowend should have with his fast, smooth and awe-inspiring bass lines.
Drummer Nick Angelini laid down amazing work for the album, so much so even non-musicians will take notice.
Second is the cohesiveness the album has. It’s tough-sounding but for everyone, and will likely have new converts once people catch wind of A Wilhelm Scream’s infectious sound.
The band worked hard on the album, and it shows through all 30-plus minutes. Blend that with the great recording quality from Bill Stevenson’s Blasting Room, and listeners have a solid album they can rely on.
“Career Suicide” is a tour de force of an album. It’ll make musicians weep with envy and music lovers revel with admiration.
A Wilhelm Scream will have a tough time one-upping this album when the time comes.
Rating: A
