Artist: Earth Crisis
Label: Victory Records
Release Date: 7/25/00
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Title: Slither Artist: Earth Crisis Label: Victory Records Release Date: 7/25/00 |
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Abyss's Review:
Slither marks the return of this veteran Straight Edge band to their origin label, Victory Records, after a one record stint at Roadrunner. This band has been well respected for their political views, as they are always at the forefront of their musical presentation, and this album continues along the same vein. They have gone in a different direction musically, however, and it is quite possible that diehard fans might start thinking "sellout."
My own experience with this band is primarily contained within their "crossover" album Gomorrah's Season Ends. That album was very metallic in nature, and I felt it was able to expand this band's appeal (at least in the metal community). Slither, takes their aggression in a new direction, however, and seems to be exploiting the "Urbancore" trend that is currently so popular. Hip-hop influences are much stronger on this record than on their earlier work, and I am somewhat reminded of the travesty that was the latest Machine Head album. This isn't quite that bad though, and this new, more accessible sound isn't without its charm. Earth Crisis seem to retain their integrity much more easily due to the fact that their Straight Edge core is generally easily mixed with rap, so it doesn't sound as out of character.
"I just can't imagine anyone not being disappointed in this after hearing the promise on Gomorrah's Season Ends." But the best songs on this album are the ones that are less into the whole rapcore thing. Songs such as "Agress" and "Mass Arrest" are very effective pieces, but are also the least likely to be singles. They do a good job of mixing aggression and groove, and if the album were full of pieces like this it would be killer. But unfortunately, for every cool song there are other songs like "Loss of Humanity" and "Mechanism," which are probably bad enough to make their way onto MTV late at night if heavy music continues to gain popularity.
Overall, Earth Crisis don't seem to be going in the right direction, but I'd be lying if I said there weren't flashes of brilliance scattered throughout their efforts. Another big problem is that I'm not really a very big Hardcore fan, so I'm probably not the best one to judge, but I just can't imagine anyone not being disappointed in this after hearing the promise on Gomorrah's Season Ends.
Death's Review:
Earth Crisis play buzz-saw riffed, hardcore influenced, Machine Head meets Indecision metal. Not as groove oriented as Kilgore, not as techno influenced as Fear Factory, not as bouncy as Biohazard. But all of these aforementioned acts come together in the Earth Crisis sound, at least the sound heard on Slither. Do you like downtuned, raw, chant-laden testosterone stomping? Do you still endeavor to do the pogo at concerts? Do you like P.O.D., Incubus, or Disturbed? If your answers are yes, you might like Earth Crisis.
"Their songs are just this shy of catchy enough to take me past the otherwise derivative-feeling mediocrity of their sound." Never mind the fact that Earth Crisis has something more than that to offer. They also invoke Neurosis, old Sepultura, and perhaps even Jane's Addiction once in a while. But these latter elements are sporadic and few. Earth Crisis are metal, and they do bring power and apparent conviction to bear on the issue. But their songs are just this shy of catchy enough to take me past the otherwise derivative-feeling mediocrity of their sound. If you are looking for a good quasi-rap "metalcore" record, you might like this one.
Hel's Review:
So I guess these things go in waves. I'm referring to having to review multiple albums within a short period of time which I find unappealing. For a long time, I liked every single album I was handed. These days, it seems I'm lucky if I like one of the two for the week. This is one of those weeks again, I'm not really psyched about this new Earth Crisis album.
"He sounds like a white guy trying to rap, and in the end it sounds like part of that whole crap metal movement to me." Again my lack of enthusiasm is attributable to a dislike of the band that I had previously formed. Then add in the fact that I don't like hardcore as a general rule. I recall trying to like Earth Crisis at one point, and just not feeling it. I find myself in the same state listening to Slither. I've never been a fan of our cold blooded reptilian neighbors, so invoking their image via album title doesn't score any points in my book.
Sure, they're catchy and the music does make you want to jump around. They have some good heavy riffing going on, and some interesting songs. There are certainly times that make me want to reconsider my anti-hardcore stance. But the short-term gratification doesn't satiate, eventually it all comes back around to the parts that I can't swallow.
"I didn't hate it, but I know there are other people who enjoy it more than I." I've been trying to puzzle out, for what seems like forever, just what it is about hardcore that makes me dislike it. Since I still haven't put my finger on that, I'll just have to be satisfied for now with specifying the major component that fails to sell me on Earth Crisis. The pseudo-rapping does it to me every time. Not to stereotype or insult the guy's skill for rapping, but frankly he sounds like a white guy trying to rap, and in the end it sounds like part of that whole crap metal movement to me.
Slag me as you will, I'm just as entitled to my opinion as everyone else, and I'm just not Earth Crisis' audience. They do have qualities that others may enjoy. They have a variety of vocal styles and, as I mentioned earlier, those groovy, catchy songs. I didn't hate it, but I know there are other people who enjoy it more than I.
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