Reviews

Punk music is something heartfelt; the emotions of the artists should be felt through the words and instruments of the musicians. A good punk band can expand their energy from the speakers to the listeners, making their music more than words; they create a feeling, a feeling Only Crime capture. 
 
Only Crime started in 2002-2003, fronted by Russ Rankin, who also sings for Good Riddance. Russ recruited members of Black Flag, Gwar, Converge, Hagfish, and Bane for his side project. When the band initially began, they recorded their first record, To The Nines, a mere six months after playing together. Since all of the members played in other bands, they all had many different, as well as similar influences to bring to the table. After touring and playing as a unit more, the music has come together even better with their latest release, Virulence.
 
“Next album will be much more representative of what we are live,” Rankin said while touring on To The Nines. It is certainly a powerful record that brings together a lot of great musicians with Russ on vocals, Bill Stevenson on drums, Aaron Dalbec and Zach Blair on guitar, and Donivan Blair on bass.
 
Virulence starts with a strong musical introduction to the song “Take Me.” Russ powerfully comes into sync with the music yelling, “right now, like a step outside, my heart beats genocide.” The music is fast and the change-up in Russ’s vocals keep the song energetic and alive. The album not only starts out lyrically strong, but also continues to be lyrically powerful throughout. Russ’s time in Good Riddance is seen in the style of songs like “Everything For You.” “Shotgun,” slows the album down to a less intense level as the choruses ring, “It’s cold out there, but you’re not along, you’re not alone.”
 
The whole album is energetic, and even when Only Crime takes a moment to slow down a track, it remains upbeat with strong, sing along lyrics. One of the best tracks on the album is “Just Us.” The lyrics seem to describe a broken friendship, with Russ proclaiming, “God help me strip away what’s come between the two of us, and maybe we can stay friends forever, because you know inside out and it breaks my heart to pass without a word, after all this time.”
 
Even with more personally minded songs like “Just Us,” mixed in with political rants and breakdowns on Virulence, the whole album is so powerful. The music pounds with such emotion, perfectly blended with Russ’s heartfelt words. The sincerity is felt throughout the album and really brings the words and music to life, something a powerful punk band should do. With all the different backgrounds and influences, the members of Only Crime perfectly unify their music with a clean, strong, and honest sound.