brenByah
06/18/09, 06:45 PM
Catherine - Inside Out
Record Label: Rise Records
Release Date: April 28, 2009
Sacramento act Catherine are no strangers to hardship. The band has experienced numerous lineup changes over the past 6 years, with guitarist Robert Tobin being the only remaining founder. The biggest of these departures was former lead singer Bryan Lemasters. The 2007 release The Naturals was the debut of new vocalist Nick Bradwell. To many fans' dismay, Catherine's sound had evolved, becoming more melodic than the records of their past. As Catherine moved on, Lemasters began his fight with cancer, which eventually took his life on December 28, 2008. Inside Out marked another new start for Catherine as the lineup changed once again, leaving only founder Robert Tobin and Nick Bradwell from The Naturals era. Inside Out finds the band and its new members refining the direction they established in Catherine's 2007 release.
Inside Out opens with the blistering "Tight Britches." The brief intro breathlessly leads into the record's stand out track, "Prosthetic Limbs." Bradwell's growls will give hardcore fans more headbanging action than they can pump a fist at. The melodic moments that made many long term Catherine fans nervous in The Naturals are still present, though they never distract from the heart racing pace of the album. Tobin and fellow guitarist Taylor Rearick provide Catherine's most solid guitar work to date. Each riff menacingly cuts through each track with intricate lead parts showing a strong metal influence ("Drugs Are Bad"). Most of Bradwell's lyrics are pretty simple and occasionally playful, like Catherine's dance friendly (though moshing would be more appropriate) "Bailer." Bradwell challenges the listener to "show us just what you can do." Everything from dosey do's to hip hop moves are acceptable in Club Catherine, and it may be the only time a band asks listeners to "fuckin' drop it like it's hot" without wearing shutter shades and white denim. Fans of vintage Catherine should still find some satisfaction from Bradwell's roars, with the clean vocals on the backburner for the majority of Inside Out, though occasional breaks for singing provide a great addition for tracks like "Prosthetic Limbs," "Fair Enough," "Turbulence," and "Nobody Likes a Friend Who's Dead."
Over the past few years acts like Gallows have solidified their place as the kings of hardcore. With the release of Inside Out, Catherine shows the Brits that the States now have someone worthy of the crown, as Catherine rise from the ashes once again.
http://www.myspace.com/catherine
Gallows, Comeback Kid, Hardcore at its Finest
Record Label: Rise Records
Release Date: April 28, 2009
Sacramento act Catherine are no strangers to hardship. The band has experienced numerous lineup changes over the past 6 years, with guitarist Robert Tobin being the only remaining founder. The biggest of these departures was former lead singer Bryan Lemasters. The 2007 release The Naturals was the debut of new vocalist Nick Bradwell. To many fans' dismay, Catherine's sound had evolved, becoming more melodic than the records of their past. As Catherine moved on, Lemasters began his fight with cancer, which eventually took his life on December 28, 2008. Inside Out marked another new start for Catherine as the lineup changed once again, leaving only founder Robert Tobin and Nick Bradwell from The Naturals era. Inside Out finds the band and its new members refining the direction they established in Catherine's 2007 release.
Inside Out opens with the blistering "Tight Britches." The brief intro breathlessly leads into the record's stand out track, "Prosthetic Limbs." Bradwell's growls will give hardcore fans more headbanging action than they can pump a fist at. The melodic moments that made many long term Catherine fans nervous in The Naturals are still present, though they never distract from the heart racing pace of the album. Tobin and fellow guitarist Taylor Rearick provide Catherine's most solid guitar work to date. Each riff menacingly cuts through each track with intricate lead parts showing a strong metal influence ("Drugs Are Bad"). Most of Bradwell's lyrics are pretty simple and occasionally playful, like Catherine's dance friendly (though moshing would be more appropriate) "Bailer." Bradwell challenges the listener to "show us just what you can do." Everything from dosey do's to hip hop moves are acceptable in Club Catherine, and it may be the only time a band asks listeners to "fuckin' drop it like it's hot" without wearing shutter shades and white denim. Fans of vintage Catherine should still find some satisfaction from Bradwell's roars, with the clean vocals on the backburner for the majority of Inside Out, though occasional breaks for singing provide a great addition for tracks like "Prosthetic Limbs," "Fair Enough," "Turbulence," and "Nobody Likes a Friend Who's Dead."
Over the past few years acts like Gallows have solidified their place as the kings of hardcore. With the release of Inside Out, Catherine shows the Brits that the States now have someone worthy of the crown, as Catherine rise from the ashes once again.
http://www.myspace.com/catherine
Gallows, Comeback Kid, Hardcore at its Finest