Review
Jump the Shark
Staring Death

Dead Truth (2008) — Zach

Jump the Shark – Staring Death cover artwork
Jump the Shark – Staring Death — Dead Truth, 2008

So the other day for lunch, I decided to try a new sandwich shop in the Skyway. I'd heard decent things about it, and when I walked past it on my way to other establishments for lunch, they definitely were busy, and people apparently liked it. So I ordered their house specialty sandwich. What I got was a perfectly passable sandwich, with some delicious potato chips. But everything about the sandwich was generic and didn't really stand out. Bland bread, shredded iceberg lettuce, processed cheese, and a ho-hum dressing. The deli meats, while not bad, were also probably pulled out of a package, and not even sliced on location. If I'm going to pay six bucks for a sandwich and chips, it better at least be made from the heart with quality ingredients. It wasn't. While it wasn't bad, it was definitely not something that I'll go out of my way for.

My sandwich experience is very much like the album Staring Death by Jump the Shark. It's perfectly passable hardcore with an 80's influence, in much the same vein of Paint it Black. However, there were very few moments that really stuck out for me. I can see this band being great live, but the album left me unfulfilled. A couple awesome riffs, a lyric here or there that stood out but was gone the next instant; this is what I gained from this album. Overall, a decent background album for when I'm doing dishes, or eating a forgettable sandwich.

6.0 / 10 — Zach • April 6, 2009

Jump the Shark – Staring Death cover artwork
Jump the Shark – Staring Death — Dead Truth, 2008

Recently-posted album reviews

David Eugene Edwards

Mercurial Silence
Sargent House (2026)

David Eugene Edwards's 2023 full-length Hyacinth was a significant turn in his musical journey. Americana still defined much of the record's spirit, from the guitar lines and the song structures, but the backbone was forged in electronica. While this shift was sonically significant, it did not alter Edwards's existential and ritualistic interests. In fact it amplified these concepts, imbuing his … Read more

Nagusame

I Want To Leave
White Russian Records (2026)

Nagusame are not reinventing melodic metalcore on I Want To Leave. They wear their influences openly, and anyone familiar with Shai Hulud, Misery Signals, or early-2000s metalcore will hear them almost immediately. What keeps the EP from feeling like simple nostalgia is what Nagusame does with those influences, especially the guitars.The guitars are what stay with me when I Want … Read more

AIH

Self-Titled EP
Independent (2026)

EP HIGHLIGHTS – “McEnroe” & “Ten Speed”Hatching out of COVID boredom between friends down on NYC’s Lower East Side, drummer Doug Stern and vocalist-guitarist Brian Runk casually kickstarted AIH by jamming through some classic rock and early punk covers. It's a preference that’s made abundantly clear via their high-energy live shows and staple sound of sturdy guitar, memorable chant-driven hooks … Read more