Rohan Kohli
02/14/06, 11:00 PM
Fastlane – New Start
Release Date: March 14, 2005
Record Label: Sucka Punch Records
1. Virus
2. Eyes Closed
3. Dreaming
4. Elevator
5. Comfortable Silence
6. A New Start
7. 3rd Degree
8. Forget What We Were
9. Million Times
10. When It's Over
My first thought when I put this record on: “Oh no.” New Start’s opening track, “Virus,” kicks things off with fast, distortion-drenched, metal tinged guitars, the occasional pinch harmonic finding its way into the blob of blah. Yay, another screamo record. Luckily, the album didn’t continue in the direction I was expecting—instead, I found a solid collection of fast, fairly generic, harmony-soaked, pop punk tunes that brought back strong memories of 2002-era pop punk (e.g. The Starting Line’s Say It Like You Mean It).
While New Start wasn’t the lame nu-screamo record I was expecting, the band didn’t lay off with the aggressive rif***e they displayed at the very beginning; I’m not complaining though—a rippin’, harmonized solo in a pop punk tune? (See: “3rd Degree”) Kick ass. Nevertheless, I’ve heard this record before. It doesn’t really bring anything new to the table except that little hint of metal at times. Songs like “Eyes Closed” are pretty much just a “best of” The Starting Line, but hey, the band does it well. While I would’ve probably been into this record a lot more three or four years ago, I think people who miss that older Drive Thru sound might dig this album.
Release Date: March 14, 2005
Record Label: Sucka Punch Records
1. Virus
2. Eyes Closed
3. Dreaming
4. Elevator
5. Comfortable Silence
6. A New Start
7. 3rd Degree
8. Forget What We Were
9. Million Times
10. When It's Over
My first thought when I put this record on: “Oh no.” New Start’s opening track, “Virus,” kicks things off with fast, distortion-drenched, metal tinged guitars, the occasional pinch harmonic finding its way into the blob of blah. Yay, another screamo record. Luckily, the album didn’t continue in the direction I was expecting—instead, I found a solid collection of fast, fairly generic, harmony-soaked, pop punk tunes that brought back strong memories of 2002-era pop punk (e.g. The Starting Line’s Say It Like You Mean It).
While New Start wasn’t the lame nu-screamo record I was expecting, the band didn’t lay off with the aggressive rif***e they displayed at the very beginning; I’m not complaining though—a rippin’, harmonized solo in a pop punk tune? (See: “3rd Degree”) Kick ass. Nevertheless, I’ve heard this record before. It doesn’t really bring anything new to the table except that little hint of metal at times. Songs like “Eyes Closed” are pretty much just a “best of” The Starting Line, but hey, the band does it well. While I would’ve probably been into this record a lot more three or four years ago, I think people who miss that older Drive Thru sound might dig this album.