A Wilhelm Scream get an easy 5 stars for album #4 (Career Suicide - A Wilhelm Scream)

Member Name: edinburgher

Product:	Career Suicide - A Wilhelm Scream
Date:	19/01/09 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant hardcore album, can't fault it

Disadvantages: None

The fourth release from these screaming New Bedford hardcore outfit sees a welcome continuation to the electrifying guitar riffs, machine gun drumming and witty, angry lyrics that have made them established favourites on the touring circuit.

Lead singer Nuno Pereira and co are on fine form and I can't fault them for bringing out another release that displays the passion and relevance of the genre/'scene' so well. The group thankfully haven't run out of demons to exorcise and you don't really expect masses of inventiveness on a hardcore album anyway. It's very much a case of 'find something you do well and keep doing it'.

As a band, they are sounding flawless, at the top of their game and new bassist Brian Robinson has settled in well and doesn't seem to be struggling to keep up with the ridiculous pace set by his fellow band members. When I say that there isn't masses of inventiveness on the record, I don't mean to imply that it's not exciting. As well as some punk staples, there are some tracks that are musically very complex and there are moments when the album could be compared to some of the greats of thrash/math metal. 'The Horse' demonstrates this particularly well and it's always good to hear live.

While there are a couple of tracks that flounder a little in my estimation, the album is very good value for money when broken down with a cost/good track equation. 'I Wipe my Ass with Showbiz' is another angry call to arms from the guys, while 'The Horse' (as mentioned) is one of the best guitar tracks I've heard in ages. When quizzed about the origin of the song, the unusually oblique explanation for its origin is that it's actually a song about a horse.. Not quite what I expect, but fun all the same. 'Die While we're Young' encapsulates everything that's good about the groups' meaty sound, while 'Get Mad, you Son of a Bitch' and 'Pardon me, thanks a Lot' are particularly memorable for their singalong qualities. The closing tracks 'Check Request Denied' and 'We Built this City! (On Debts and Booze)' bring things to a great climax, with the sort of urgency and social commentary that a few 'worthy' punk groups such as Rise Against and Green Day can only dream of.

Essential purchase for any fan of modern American punk and hardcore music - you don't know what you're missing!

Summary: Hardcore punk classic from New Bedford's favourite sons