Thomas Nassiff
12/17/09, 01:06 AM
Hit the Switch - Observing Infinities
Record Label: Nitro Records
Release Date: May 30, 2009
Classic rock and pop-punk are my bread and butter, really. Anyone who has conversed with me extensively on this website or even ganders at my avatar will see that I'm a big Bruce Springsteen fan. Among our newfangled modern-day music, nothing gets me going like pop-punk, although I do appreciate a variety of other genres. One genre I have grown to have a huge appreciation for is true punk music when it's done right. I'm a huge Rise Against fan and something about the punk culture, the do-it-yourself, do what you want attitude, has always intrigued me. Well, Hit the Switch are on their way to doing punk rock the right way with their sophomore effort, Observing Infinities.
When the listener pops this album in for the first time, they get something that they aren't expecting. While most punk bands are known for short and to-the-point songs, the musical introduction to opener "Ancient Sunlight" is 45 seconds by itself, and doesn't exactly give off a resounding punk sound. When vocalist Matthew Hawks kicks in, however, listeners experience exactly how punk rock Hit the Switch really are. The song continues for almost five minutes, though, at moments sounding experimental and at others sounding groove-oriented, but always reverting back to true punk roots with Hawks on vocals and he and Joel Urias blasting away on their guitars. Observing Infinities continues in the vein of typical punk albums, as the last 11 songs combine for a total of 24 minutes, with none reaching the three minute mark and without a moment of rest among them. The relentless drums are extremely noticeable on this record, complementing aggressive guitar parts and a few solos, showing potential for Hit the Switch. My favorite track on Observing Infinities and a song that is sure to garner attention on a somewhat larger scale is "Tidal Wave", which showcases the band's influences and an exceptional affinity for melodic punk. Another standout track is "Ample Bright", which seems to be Hawks' best vocal performance on the album. A lot of the lyrics on Observing Infinities are related to society and politics, while the general theme of the record appears to be societies in other galaxies and solar systems.
Featured on this record is a song entitled "The Leader in Generic Punk Brands", which seems to be what Hit the Switch aspire to be. While Observing Infinities is a step in the right direction, punk rock isn't easy to pull off and Matthew Hawks will have to settle into a niche as vocalist of this band. At times he shows incredible promise, and listeners will hear moments where he shows some similarities to Tim McIlrath from early Rise Against work. This band has progressed since their debut Domestic Tranquility and Social Justice, taking a more organized approach as opposed to a punch-in-your-mouth street punk sound. As a whole, Hit the Switch appear to be coming together with their sophomore release. If you're a fan of punk, this wouldn't be bad to check it out. I would say that Hit the Switch are worth keeping an eye out for, as they should be scheduled to release another LP in 2010.
punk, early Rise Against, doing it yourself
"Tidal Wave", "Ample Bright"
Check out Hit the Switch on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/hittheswitch)
Record Label: Nitro Records
Release Date: May 30, 2009
Classic rock and pop-punk are my bread and butter, really. Anyone who has conversed with me extensively on this website or even ganders at my avatar will see that I'm a big Bruce Springsteen fan. Among our newfangled modern-day music, nothing gets me going like pop-punk, although I do appreciate a variety of other genres. One genre I have grown to have a huge appreciation for is true punk music when it's done right. I'm a huge Rise Against fan and something about the punk culture, the do-it-yourself, do what you want attitude, has always intrigued me. Well, Hit the Switch are on their way to doing punk rock the right way with their sophomore effort, Observing Infinities.
When the listener pops this album in for the first time, they get something that they aren't expecting. While most punk bands are known for short and to-the-point songs, the musical introduction to opener "Ancient Sunlight" is 45 seconds by itself, and doesn't exactly give off a resounding punk sound. When vocalist Matthew Hawks kicks in, however, listeners experience exactly how punk rock Hit the Switch really are. The song continues for almost five minutes, though, at moments sounding experimental and at others sounding groove-oriented, but always reverting back to true punk roots with Hawks on vocals and he and Joel Urias blasting away on their guitars. Observing Infinities continues in the vein of typical punk albums, as the last 11 songs combine for a total of 24 minutes, with none reaching the three minute mark and without a moment of rest among them. The relentless drums are extremely noticeable on this record, complementing aggressive guitar parts and a few solos, showing potential for Hit the Switch. My favorite track on Observing Infinities and a song that is sure to garner attention on a somewhat larger scale is "Tidal Wave", which showcases the band's influences and an exceptional affinity for melodic punk. Another standout track is "Ample Bright", which seems to be Hawks' best vocal performance on the album. A lot of the lyrics on Observing Infinities are related to society and politics, while the general theme of the record appears to be societies in other galaxies and solar systems.
Featured on this record is a song entitled "The Leader in Generic Punk Brands", which seems to be what Hit the Switch aspire to be. While Observing Infinities is a step in the right direction, punk rock isn't easy to pull off and Matthew Hawks will have to settle into a niche as vocalist of this band. At times he shows incredible promise, and listeners will hear moments where he shows some similarities to Tim McIlrath from early Rise Against work. This band has progressed since their debut Domestic Tranquility and Social Justice, taking a more organized approach as opposed to a punch-in-your-mouth street punk sound. As a whole, Hit the Switch appear to be coming together with their sophomore release. If you're a fan of punk, this wouldn't be bad to check it out. I would say that Hit the Switch are worth keeping an eye out for, as they should be scheduled to release another LP in 2010.
punk, early Rise Against, doing it yourself
"Tidal Wave", "Ample Bright"
Check out Hit the Switch on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/hittheswitch)