Tony Pascarella
02/21/06, 09:35 PM
Sound the Alarm - Sound the Alarm EP
Release Date: January 24, 2006
Record Label: Rock Ridge Music
Sound the Alarm’s self-titled EP is at the very worst a disappointment, at the very best a harbinger of the band’s future, and will most likely go into the books as an EP that diehard fans should pick up to round out their music collections 15 years from now when Sound the Alarm has achieved greatness. While they have a ton of potential, there is not a whole lot to separate them from their contemporaries based on this offering alone. The band has a thrash-driven punk/post-hardcore sound that is marred by mostly poor production. To qualify that statement, I should mention that the self-titled EP is a collection of the band’s older songs (and a new one) that they released to hold fans over until the Howard Benson-produced full-length is released. Sound the Alarm has signed to Geffen Records, and they have been given the budget and big-name producer to boot.
This EP has a couple solid songs, such as “Prove Them Wrong,” but it is consistently troubled by that much-despised “underwater” sound to the production. This song on its own is reminiscent of a slightly more pop-based Saves the Day, but that tag can be applied to a number of artists currently in the music scene. “Suffocate to Stay Alive” is another standout, although it really doesn’t bring much new to the pop-punk formula. Distorted vocals lead into the patented “rock out” crescendo, which then lets you back down emotionally and repeats a few times. Here, the vocals are solid and the riffs grating and aggressive, but there isn't too much to make the band turn some heads. “Waiting For Winter” is another solid track--possibly the most well rounded one on the Sound the Alarm EP. Again, the song slips into formulaic rock music that major labels will eat up, but does not necessarily bring in some of the more esoteric fans.
Why should you check out Sound the Alarm’s EP, which is essentially a collection of demo-quality material that may or may not make the debut CD? Unless you are already naming your children after the band members, the simple answer is you shouldn’t. The band has great potential and an excellent producer for the upcoming album, and you should wait for that, instead. You will most likely be let down by this EP, and I think fans and potential fans would be better served purchasing the full CD when it comes out. Sound the Alarm is a band to watch in 2006, and their fate is completely in their own hands. If the major label bug doesn’t bite them when they release the LP, they could potentially become Absolutepunk’s newest craze with some work and a little TLC.
Recommended if you like Saves the Day or other similar pop-punk bands with aggressive yet emotional music.
Buy Sound the Alarm's self-titled EP on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D83164444%2526id%253D83164450%2526 s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30)
Links: Myspace (http://myspace.com/soundthealarmmusic) | Purevolume (http://www.purevolume.com/soundthealarmmusic) | Official Site (http://www.soundthealarmmusic.com/)
Release Date: January 24, 2006
Record Label: Rock Ridge Music
Sound the Alarm’s self-titled EP is at the very worst a disappointment, at the very best a harbinger of the band’s future, and will most likely go into the books as an EP that diehard fans should pick up to round out their music collections 15 years from now when Sound the Alarm has achieved greatness. While they have a ton of potential, there is not a whole lot to separate them from their contemporaries based on this offering alone. The band has a thrash-driven punk/post-hardcore sound that is marred by mostly poor production. To qualify that statement, I should mention that the self-titled EP is a collection of the band’s older songs (and a new one) that they released to hold fans over until the Howard Benson-produced full-length is released. Sound the Alarm has signed to Geffen Records, and they have been given the budget and big-name producer to boot.
This EP has a couple solid songs, such as “Prove Them Wrong,” but it is consistently troubled by that much-despised “underwater” sound to the production. This song on its own is reminiscent of a slightly more pop-based Saves the Day, but that tag can be applied to a number of artists currently in the music scene. “Suffocate to Stay Alive” is another standout, although it really doesn’t bring much new to the pop-punk formula. Distorted vocals lead into the patented “rock out” crescendo, which then lets you back down emotionally and repeats a few times. Here, the vocals are solid and the riffs grating and aggressive, but there isn't too much to make the band turn some heads. “Waiting For Winter” is another solid track--possibly the most well rounded one on the Sound the Alarm EP. Again, the song slips into formulaic rock music that major labels will eat up, but does not necessarily bring in some of the more esoteric fans.
Why should you check out Sound the Alarm’s EP, which is essentially a collection of demo-quality material that may or may not make the debut CD? Unless you are already naming your children after the band members, the simple answer is you shouldn’t. The band has great potential and an excellent producer for the upcoming album, and you should wait for that, instead. You will most likely be let down by this EP, and I think fans and potential fans would be better served purchasing the full CD when it comes out. Sound the Alarm is a band to watch in 2006, and their fate is completely in their own hands. If the major label bug doesn’t bite them when they release the LP, they could potentially become Absolutepunk’s newest craze with some work and a little TLC.
Recommended if you like Saves the Day or other similar pop-punk bands with aggressive yet emotional music.
Buy Sound the Alarm's self-titled EP on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D83164444%2526id%253D83164450%2526 s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30)
Links: Myspace (http://myspace.com/soundthealarmmusic) | Purevolume (http://www.purevolume.com/soundthealarmmusic) | Official Site (http://www.soundthealarmmusic.com/)