Drowningman
Busy Signal At The Suicide Hotline



Release Date: 1998 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Drowningman craft an album utilizing metalcore’s best and most common facets, bringing it all together into a no-frills, accessible package

Busy Signal At The Suicide Hotline is a metalcore record you've probably heard already - in other albums. All its components are tried and tested tropes of the genre, those ideas which are abused and then discarded by the plethora of generic metalcore bands who have run out of ideas. But where those bands failed, Drowningman excelled, crafting an album utilizing metalcore’s best and most common facets, bringing it all together into a no-frills, accessible package. The breakdowns are heavy, dissonant, effective and generally well placed, the riffs are fast, off kilter and threatening and the lyrics have that classic mix of standard pissed off hardcore and more introspective emo. The tactic of aggressive screams switching into melodic and heartfelt cleans is commonplace, along with tight, aggressive, Botch-tier drumming that keeps things tense through build up and release . Chaotic mathcore-esque guitars weave in between pissed off screams and switch to light melodic parts flawlessly. Basically, Busy Signal is an album that does the simpler side of metalcore right. It’s not flashy, experimental or ground-breaking, but it’s to the point. The breakdowns are exhilarating, the vocals are unhinged, and the lyrics are unsettling. With metalcore I can't ask for much more.



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user ratings (49)
3.9
excellent

Comments:Add a Comment 
Mort.
November 18th 2014


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

short review for a short album, feedback would be appreciated



thanks to johnny for some proofreading help

Gameofmetal
Emeritus
November 18th 2014


11565 Comments


Very short but good review, pos'd

accompliceofmydeath
November 19th 2014


4921 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Band is so sick. Gonna jam later today.

JokineAugustus
November 30th 2014


10938 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Cool that this was reviewed recently. Just checked this out for the first time today. Safe to say it rules

Mort.
November 30th 2014


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah it does doesnt it. Solid core

Lethean
December 16th 2014


1495 Comments


never seen that artwork before

Mort.
December 16th 2014


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

its the other better artwork





Mort.
January 3rd 2015


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

good metalcore is what it is



and i think most reviews are way too long. i try to make mine short and concise. describe the sound, get it done. i think its just right tbh. albums pretty short aswell





JokineAugustus
January 18th 2015


10938 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Think I prefer R&R Killing Machine by a smidgen

Mort.
January 19th 2015


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Havet heard it yet





This is probs my worst review. I need to redo this

mordvynn
March 9th 2015


160 Comments


Awesome album

Mort.
May 1st 2015


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

So apparentely these guys are back, in the quietest reunion ever. Theyve been playing shows and i think theyre trying to record something

Lethean
May 1st 2015


1495 Comments


just heard about that gonna try to see them soon

Mort.
June 14th 2016


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

why havent i bumped or listened to this in so long holy fuck



drowningman need more love



also this review is trash i really phoned this one in

accompliceofmydeath
June 14th 2016


4921 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks for the reminder to listen. Great band.

ConcubinaryCode
June 14th 2016


7542 Comments


Yeah these guys slay. The review is fine Mort, everyone hates their early reviews =p

Mort.
June 14th 2016


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

i dunno man i quite like some of my earlier ones, this is just too short and full of generalisations



gonna jam this band all of tonight and tomorrow its been to long

icatchthirtythree
June 11th 2017


1148 Comments


Just got this as part of a Hydra Head vinyl grab bag. It's pretty fucking sweet!

Space Jester
June 11th 2017


10999 Comments


Albums rules, this is definitely their best

Mort.
June 11th 2017


25062 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

ya this is a fucking banger of an album



currenly revisiting their second lp coincidentally



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