Review Summary: "Theres a fist-fight in the hall where the beasts all dance to songs made from listing."
No Trigger is a melodic punk/hardcore band from Massachusetts, United States. The band formed in 2000, while taking cues from bands like Strike Anywhere they were able to form their own unique sound. It wasn't until 2005 that No Trigger signed with the independent record label: "Nitro Records." From there they released their debut album entitled Canyoneer.
The band developed their own version of metaphorically political, melodic hardcore/punk to the point that it could hold its own while being compared to well known punk acts like Rise Against. Though the band may not be able to escape their Strike Anywhere comparisons quite yet, there is no doubt that the potential is there.
Right off the bat, the listener gets their first taste of whats to come. Well executed guitar riffs perfectly compliment the harsh yet melodic vocal work from frontman Tom Rheault. Without pausing for a breath, the listener is thrown into the second track of the album; "Neon National Park." The song is fast paced and is certainly a great pick for a fan favorite. The chorus of the song is sincere and catchy enough to please fans of any music genre. Some fun "sing-a-long" style lyrics keep the track going strong as well as a simple but well placed guitar solo. A flawless pickup transition from "Fish Eye Lens" finds its way into a melodic breakdown while offering more of the same, catchy vocals. From this point the listener will have realized that No Trigger possesses the unique gift of creating instantly memorable songs without sacrificing a bit of artistic integrity, energy, or uniqueness. The album refuses to let up even for a second and uses the time most bands may spend on an interlude to impliment more "fist pumping anthems."
Still the album is not without it's flaws, most of them being sounds that are reminiscent of previous Strike Anywhere songs. The album is a very straightforward punk album that could get old fast to some. Its hard to find many more down-sides than those, as the album seems to be pretty well done.
The good definetly outweighs the bad.
It’d be impossible for me to describe all the little things No Trigger does on this record, but to try and get my point across, the minor things in their instrumentation and transitions make each song memorable and add a significant amount of lasting value. Just take the track "More To Offer" for example, which features female vocalist Hayley Helmericks of indie band Monofog. The two voices feed off each other and add more diversity to the album.
It is clear that, despite some obvious comparisons, No Trigger will forge their own path into the melodic/hardcore scene in the years to come.
