There's something about over-hyped hardcore bands that makes me want to hear them. It has something to do with my connection with the hardcore scene that when I hear the kids talk and talk about a new upcoming band so fervently that I think when I pick up the latest offering from "Oh my god this band is amazing" number 24,325,636 that I think I'll be hearing best thing to come down the pike since Rollins joined Black Flag or Ian started Fugazi. Sometimes I like to kid myself into thinking these things about new hardcore bands.
This time it's New Jersey's The Mongoloids that has been the "it" band as of late and already this album is pissing me off. It is labeled to be played at 33 1/3 and that makes the first song, "Orchestrated" sounds way too slow. At 45 rpm it's chipmunk time. Then all of the sudden the vinyl catches a groove or whatever it takes to make it played at the right speed. However by that time I don't even want to listen anymore do my numerous trips to the record player to see what the fuck is going on. Maybe it's my copy.
Anyhow, The Mongoloids are basically a mid-tempo to somewhat fast heavy (read: sort of metal) moshy hardcore band with a singer that keeps trying do his best Paul Bearer from Sheer Terror impression and only succeeds half the time. It's even worse that singer from The Mongoloids tries to sing. It reminds me of the first time I heard George from Blacklisted croon. It's painful. Hell it was painful to listen Paul Bearer sing too. Just sound pissed off. Thanks, love hardcore.
There is nothing that sticks out on Time Trials except for a couple of whammy bar guitar solos. Do guitar players even use whammy bars anymore? There are also some decent fast songs with good breakdowns like every decent hardcore album should have. Nevertheless, there's nothing that really grabs my attention or even makes me want to mosh around my apartment. Maybe the band is super fun live. I just don't get it.
So here we have another hardcore album that I've heard too much about before I actually heard it. It's like how movies get ruined for you if within your group of friends. You're the only one that hasn't seen the flick and they keep quoting lines from it. Once you see the movie all the lines aren't funny due to your friends' bad impressions and you just feel cheated. I don't necessarily feel cheated by The Mongoloids, but I really don't see the hype over this band either. It's just another average hardcore that pays homage to the more butt-metal side of NYHC and nothing more. Yup. So here's another review on SPB getting yet another average score.
