Reviews

I'm going to preface this by saying that i've never really been a fan of hwm.  not that i have ever wished them harm, but i just never found it too persuasive. I own caution and no division both, but barely ever listen to them, not because i hate them, just because it never seemed to touch a nerve for me. The new cd is very similar to the previous releases. Although more polished recordingwise and tighter musically, it remains a mid-tempo, octave and power chord dominated sprawl, slower than a traditional punk sound but retaining a discernible edge that keeps it from feeling poppy or forced. 
 
The real key are the vocals.  with a gravelly, but now much smoother and melodic voice and simple but genuine lyrics, the vocals drive what might otherwise be a fairly unremarkable music. Because they don't have too much diversity in their tempo or structure, it always seems a little boring when i try to listen to the whole thing straight through. This album is no different, over 40 minutes long and without a real break in the flow to keep things dynamic and me awake. It is fine in certain moods, but not something i would ever put on if i am excited about something or trying to stay high energy. I do feel a little better about this album than the others for a couple reasons: first, it feels more complete and flowing than the others, more of a full album experience than a set of individual songs; second, the vocals are melodically precise, while still retaining the distinctive quality that sets this band apart; lastly, the guitars sound like they are very in sync with each other's style, lending a more compact and tighter feel to their interplay. 
 
That said, i know people enjoyed how raw the oldest album was, and i would advise that most of that rawness is gone from this release, with the exception of the vocal tone.  this is distinctly a hwm effort, with a sound that has spawned many comparable bands, but the subtle differences may put off older fans. All that said, this is my favorite of their cds, and the first to get played on a regular basis for me.  it is worth at least a try, and while not being spectacular, can be a very convincing and persuasive albums if listened to with the right mentality.