Reviews

I always considered side bands to be an interesting way to hear members of bands exploring new genres or realms of music that they might not otherwise attempt.  In the case of The Color of Violence- side project of the post-hardcore band From First to Last- it’s an interesting tangent in a similar style of The Blood Brothers, which I heard as the main influence, though the term “grindcore” has emerged a lot.  

The problem with Youthanize is that many of the songs feel incomplete.  The conclusions of songs appear abrupt and without a recognizable music meter (not something wrong with that, but it happens on more than a few of the eleven songs).  A few of the tracks sound like they were created on a drunken binge and without any editing inside the studio to create more cohesive songs.  While I enjoy listening to this screaming, yelling genre I didn’t feel like The Color of Violence really strayed from the obvious boundaries of the genre.  It’s “scream as loud and distorted as possible, so people can only decipher 20% of the lyrics.”

As a side project, The Color of Violence is decent, but if it is to be considered a full-time project, then there needs to be some more work on the songs and lyrics.  The instrumentals are the highlight because of the spastic nature.  The album is short and on multiple plays the songs begin to bleed together and eventually the whole album became one long song that contained some highs, but many more lows.

I think in a way, Youthanize is like a screamo dance album; the rhythms keep a fast tempo going and listening without the lyrics brings a different feel overall.  Find this album through a friend, but I wouldn’t suggest actively searching for it unless you happen upon it with an extra bit of cash then pick it up.  The bargain bin is also a good idea.