 The
Arrivals
"Exsenator Orange" CD
Thick
Records
Genres: punk rock, indie rock
Thick Records
PO Box 220245
Chicago, IL 60622
Jan 6 - 12 2003 |
This
album should be huge. The Arrivals have done a kick-ass job;
with every listen, Exsenator Orange just gets better and
better. Boasting a wall of raw, turbulent guitars and emotional vocals
in the foreground, the album is as powerful as all heck, except
manages to stay enjoyably melodic at the same time. Though they are
constantly in overdrive, the band still can belt out a tremendous
chorus that you can't help but howl along to. It doesn't hurt to have
singer Isaac Thotz on deck - his voice is perfect for the
music; with just a hint of snarl in his expressive, determined vocals,
he adds a nice touch of accessibility to the noise.
"Born With A Broken Heart" is a prime example of what The
Arrivals can do. Smashing away at an incredible speed, with
out-of-control, ultrasonic guitar walls crashing down on you, the
track completely tears you apart - except its catchy melody makes it
easy for you to hum along. "Hell Can Wait" is another hit.
With the tense chorus of "Hell can wait/For me, Mom/I'll be
okay/Just don't stop to ask/'Where did you go wrong?'", it is an
excellent, well-written tune that blends punk rock with a bit of indie
rock. The album's last track, "Goodnight From Paris," is
another winner. At three minutes, which can be considered long in
comparison to the album's other songs, it's an emotional explosion of
sound that ends the album on a heavy, yet fun note.
Though the songs are short (many are under two minutes), they are
so well-performed that they won't get old for months. The sheer
emotion and power that this album boasts warrants it at least a
listen. You have no excuse. Go out and hunt down this new gem.
90%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
12 songs, distributed by the
label, released 2003; band
website] |
