Klatzke
10/12/08, 08:53 AM
This Hollywood Machine - Nothin' But Misery
Release Date: January 1, 2008
Record Label: None
Who?
A metalcore act using way too many cliches to even sound serious.
How is it?
In one word: generic. In two: terribly generic. Shall I continue?
On Nothin' But Misery they jump onto every gimmick and cliche that I've ever seen pass through this genre. They've even got the ridiculous growled/screamed vocals that border on a pig squeal at times. On top of that, the vocals sound produced, so even the worst part of the EP seems like it's been helped out by studio time. Don't worry though, they've got scattered gang lines to pump you up before the breakdowns, bro.
Other than the vocals, the rest of the band plays their part well. The drummer and guitarist(s?) do their job well, and it's really the only redeeming factor for this album. However, the skill of the members isn't the biggest concern.
Their songwriting is absolutely horrendous. I hate to say this about a band that has obviously tried, but it has to be done. For example, when they put the "big breakdown riff" into the first thirty seconds of their EP, it didn't make them original - it made them laughable. Saturated in breakdowns, the songs trudge slowly while the vocals slowly bring down your tolerance. Eventually, the vocals win, and it's almost impossible to even make it through the five songs. I mean, even if they're going to write like this, they could be more efficient. I'd say they could fit at least twenty more breakdowns into any of their songs. On top of that, who could do without the generic "stand-up-and-fight" lyrical content? An example from "Unbeatable:" "We stood up, we're fighting back, we're taking this back." And what of the breakdown from quoted song? Well it's the same lines ("I wanna see us rise") repeated for far too long.
This is basically all I have to say about the album, but I can't let their slaughter of "Crazy Train" go unspoken of. This cover alone might be enough to shock Ozzie back into our world for a little while, that is, just long enough to cry out in pain. Basically, what they've done to this song is add a heavier riff, a breakdown, and over the top vocals. While the guitar work does it justice (i.e. the solo), the rest of the track is just a complete shame.
There's a line to cross in metalcore. This EP is completely over the top and overdone in every regard, and it really is a chore to listen to. Aside from the instrumentals, it seems like the only thing they did right was naming it appropriately.
local metalcore bands that you dread watching while waiting for the headliners to enter stage; lol's; Emmure (this one's the joke, I know)
myspace.com/thishollywoodmachine (http://www.myspace.com/thishollywoodmachine)
Release Date: January 1, 2008
Record Label: None
Who?
A metalcore act using way too many cliches to even sound serious.
How is it?
In one word: generic. In two: terribly generic. Shall I continue?
On Nothin' But Misery they jump onto every gimmick and cliche that I've ever seen pass through this genre. They've even got the ridiculous growled/screamed vocals that border on a pig squeal at times. On top of that, the vocals sound produced, so even the worst part of the EP seems like it's been helped out by studio time. Don't worry though, they've got scattered gang lines to pump you up before the breakdowns, bro.
Other than the vocals, the rest of the band plays their part well. The drummer and guitarist(s?) do their job well, and it's really the only redeeming factor for this album. However, the skill of the members isn't the biggest concern.
Their songwriting is absolutely horrendous. I hate to say this about a band that has obviously tried, but it has to be done. For example, when they put the "big breakdown riff" into the first thirty seconds of their EP, it didn't make them original - it made them laughable. Saturated in breakdowns, the songs trudge slowly while the vocals slowly bring down your tolerance. Eventually, the vocals win, and it's almost impossible to even make it through the five songs. I mean, even if they're going to write like this, they could be more efficient. I'd say they could fit at least twenty more breakdowns into any of their songs. On top of that, who could do without the generic "stand-up-and-fight" lyrical content? An example from "Unbeatable:" "We stood up, we're fighting back, we're taking this back." And what of the breakdown from quoted song? Well it's the same lines ("I wanna see us rise") repeated for far too long.
This is basically all I have to say about the album, but I can't let their slaughter of "Crazy Train" go unspoken of. This cover alone might be enough to shock Ozzie back into our world for a little while, that is, just long enough to cry out in pain. Basically, what they've done to this song is add a heavier riff, a breakdown, and over the top vocals. While the guitar work does it justice (i.e. the solo), the rest of the track is just a complete shame.
There's a line to cross in metalcore. This EP is completely over the top and overdone in every regard, and it really is a chore to listen to. Aside from the instrumentals, it seems like the only thing they did right was naming it appropriately.
local metalcore bands that you dread watching while waiting for the headliners to enter stage; lol's; Emmure (this one's the joke, I know)
myspace.com/thishollywoodmachine (http://www.myspace.com/thishollywoodmachine)