Countless bands have started with little more than
a few guys, some instruments, and a basic knowledge
of bar chords. The Black List is one such band. Their
new release “Beginning of The End” is
a venture into the world of in your face, round house
kick to the jaw hardcore infused punk rock.
This Detroit based quartet has had success on the
stage, wooing the Motor City and surrounding areas
with their high energy live show and intensity. Beginning
of The End is their attempt to package that. Overall,
it is a decent attempt. There are raging guitars,
screaming vocals, and typical angry rebellious lyrics.
The high point of the album was the energy, all the
way. As soon as the cd started blasting through my
overpriced iPod headphones, I felt a desire welling
inside of me to go grab my skateboard and ride or
to punch someone. Thankfully I decided against the
latter. The blazing guitars conveyed emotion and energy
all while carrying a strong rhythm.
The weak point of the album for me was the vocal
performance. The words were an almost indiscernible
polysyllabic rant to the subject of the lyric. Many
punk and hardcore bands have based entire careers
on this type of lyrics, however I feel the TBL has
more potential and should seek to utilize it.
Overall this album was just alright for me. It wasn't
necessarily bad, however it did leave me with the
feeling of being under whelmed. The Black List is
a young band with a lot of potential and I think they
have a bright future if they improve the weaker aspects
of the album and solidify the strengths.
Key Tracks: Watch It Slip, Carry The Weight
Reviewed by Joelle Wolters |
