CAR BOMB
"Car
Bomb"
(Self-produced; 2004)
Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter
Progressive metal can take many forms, but one underlying feature must be a relatively high degree of technicality. Car Bomb are a New York band that unleashes their technical brand of metal and hardcore with this three-track self-titled demo. I agree with Rough Edge's esteemed editor R. Scott Bolton that three-track demos are usually not good indicators of a band's total performance. However, I do like to recognize those bands that really do a good job with a minimal number of tracks. Car Bomb is one of those bands.
On this demo, one track is almost forty seconds long, one track is nearly two minutes long, and the remaining track is over four minutes long. If you're not doing the math at home, that's less than seven total minutes. In providing these three different songs and song-lengths, Car Bomb present themselves stylistically in three unique ways that give a good indication of the multiple dimensions that they have to offer. And given that the three tracks avoid sounding like each other, the band has successfully managed to do what most bands seemingly failed to do – sound different and interesting from song to song.
"Rid" blazes by in 37 seconds with a burst of grindcore intensity and hardcore straight-forwardness. "His Eyes" expresses its way through a multitude of sections that truly shows the progressive and experimental side of the band. "Solid Grey" finds a happy middle ground while blending in the urban musical culture that New York City must provide on a daily basis. Car Bomb does a great job with variety and interesting songs with its rampaging seven minutes of technical metalcore on this demo.
I'm doing my best of late to avoid doing obligatory band 'sounds like' references, but I can't help myself in certain situations. Car Bomb have a bit of Meshuggah, Candiria, and Cephalic Carnage in their overall sound without sounding derivative of those acts.
The bottom line is that I'd be thrilled to hear what Car Bomb can do over 15 or 20 tracks in the course of 35 minutes or so.
"Car Bomb" was produced by Car Bomb.
Car Bomb: Michael Dafferner on vocals, Greg Kubacki on guitars, Jon Modell on bass, and Elliot Hoffman on drums.
For more information visit http://www.carbomb.us.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2005 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 19 Nov 2008 01:31:54 -0600.
