Review
Rotting Out
Street Prowl

There's something generally referred to as a summer record. That elusive album that you can blast out of the windows of your car and feel perfectly in that time frame and state of mind. Most of the time these records are otherwise questionable pop albums that may be slightly embarrassing otherwise. Rarely it works out that these records are just plain good and it's merely incidental that they become part of this category. One could make a case that the debut full length of Rotting Out would fit into the "just plain good" category.

The band has managed to make waves over the past few years with a strong demo and two high energy EP's. The truly amazing thing is that after member shifts they make something that feels more like their own than before. There is no denying that this is definitely a hardcore record. It is in showing their influences in a more obvious way that it somehow becomes more of their own record.

Starting with police sirens, the turning of a cars ignition and someone running through the radio stations. This gives us a bit of an idea of what we're in for. There is certainly a street wise vibe to the songs. Think Suicidal Tendencies not Death Row Records. The car ignition mimics the consistent power that these guys posses within their songs. Finally the radio concedes that unlike, or even more so than, their peers they have an ear for hooks. This isn't to say there's any singing in the traditional sense, but every gang chant, sing along and even chorus vocal part feels comfortable in it's place.

As mentioned the influences set the band apart. Take a slight bit of early Suicidal Tendencies, the melody and catchy bits of Pennywise and some reverence to old school west coast hardcore and you end up with this band. Needless to say in itself there isn't anything particularly original on display here. The mixture of these elements is what makes the record not the need to be different. This is not strictly a summer record but it is most certainly a strong album regardless.