Reviews
Destroy Their Future
American Steel
Released: Oct 2, 2007
Label: Fat Wreck Chords
Reviewed by: William Jones
6 comments
American Steel returns from a six year transformation into Communiqué and holds up the Fat Wreck tradition of some truly solid punk with their latest release, Destroy Their Future. Still, it can't be ignored that six years have made a drastic change in the American Steel many might last remember from Jagged Thoughts in 2001. It's also hard to avoid awkward comparisons of sound to bands that started after American Steel did back in '95.
The Lawrence Arms and Alkaline Trio most prominently come to mind (check out "To the Sea" for a good example of both). The anthems undoubtedly will remind of Chicago's devilish Trio while comparisons of some of the faster stuff, scratchy vocals, and songwriting to the music of former hobos Brendan Kelly and Chris McCaughan are inescapable. That criticism is lightened by the fact that these are two incredible bands from which to take your cues, but in helping to carry the torch of contemporary punk, American Steel has left behind all but a few embers of their own.
The newest effort starts awkwardly with "Sons of Avarice." A four-four cymbal for two measures, addition of guitar for four more, and then things give way to an uncomfortable upbeat double-time, followed by vocals that immediately slow things down. It's not until the third track that the band really hits its stride, but once American Steel does, Destroy Their Future provides the listener a great ride, if not one slightly marred by some of the earlier criticism.
American Steel has not lost it's knack for writing incredible anthems that must sound even better live. Unlike many albums that start and end strong, getting just a bit boring in the middle, the heart of Destroy Their Future is a grouping of tracks right in the center. "Smile on Me" and "Razorblades" seem the most notable throwbacks, with the latter taking a slight bit of Communiqué's euro-styling. "Old Croy Road" then hits hard with a street-punk anthem. And "Hurtlin'," the album's second-to-last track, is one of its best.
Don't let the criticism deceive you; American Steel can still write some great tunes and there is a lot about the band's "re-activation" to be excited about. No doubt, Destroy Their Future will provide a number of great live sing-along opportunities, but the album does suffer a bit because of its timing and a few minor lapses in song quality. It could even be argued for fans of straight punk, Destroy Their Future may be the band's best to date, but American Steel sounds too much like its successors to seem original upon its return.
User Comments
I can see your point about Communique. I think it would also be fair to say Larry Arms and the Trio have likely borrowed from American Steel as well. I don't think it's unfair to point out the similarity though. I'm not sure how familiar you are with the two bands I've mentioned, but seriously, listen to "To the Sea," specifically the "the wind blows/the trees blow" part and tell me that it doesn't sound like Larry Arms. And there's plenty of the erie anthemic sounds of Alk3. I do think that from Communique it doesn't seem as big of a transition, but the decision was made to make an American Steel album, not Communique. I think if you compare the last AS album to, it seems like a bigger jump, and not so progressive. Just different ways of looking at it, I guess. Dec 3, 2007
It seems from your review that you have listened to the communique records that came between Jagged Thoughts and Destroy Their Future. With that in mind, i find it hard to believe you don't see where the new American Steel sound is derived from. It seems to me to be a combination of earlier American Steel and Communique. I am no huge fan of Communique but I like the way they have incorporated that influence into the new record. I really don't see any connection to bands like Larry Arms and Alkaline Trio. All things are derivative of something else I just don't see the new American Steel being derived from the bands you mentioned. Dec 2, 2007
Honestly, my problem isn't with a solid punk sound or American Steel. As I say in the review, there is a lot to like about American Steel. This album just seems to derivative of bands that have come between the phases of American Steel and lacks some of the originality of earlier American Steel stuff, with exceptions. That, and not that I felt it is worse that catchy pop-punk, is why it received three stars.
Bill Dec 2, 2007
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