Review Summary: THIS... IS... STRAIGHT EDGE!!! *kicks*
One whiff of ‘Hold Fast’’s lyrics will tell you exactly what is driving this band, and what their music sounds like. The lead growler brutally screams, “Straight edge! Straight edge for myself! Fuck you and everybody else!” Yes, Thick As Blood is a straight edge hardcore band, which means the band members worship themselves for abstaining from alcohol, drugs, etc. However, although they may consider themselves to be on a higher plane of existence, the music ultimately tells the truth. Thick as Blood’s music tell us that this is yet another average straight edge group. What a surprise.
At the very least, the band is pretty solid. The brutal screams are done well, and there isn’t an overabundance of breakdowns. Also, the guitars though simplistic they may be, keep things heavy, and constantly moving. Yes, this is regrettably average hardcore, but that doesn’t stop it from being catchy, and brutal. Basically, it’s good for random listens, but the listener will want to move on to more exciting hardcore bands directly after. This isn’t exciting music with its boring instrumentation or songs that sound almost exactly the same. This is some aggressive music that may please those looking for a brutal way to pass the time.
After a few tracks, monotony begins to creep in. The band may bring the brutals, but variation is completely non-existent. The guitar chords sound the same, and do the same “chugchugchugchug” until the ears bleed. Also, the screams stay within the same range the entire time, and are quite forgettable. Such a setup can trick for a while, but not for long. Unfortunately, this is about as complicated as the band gets – not very. They have absolutely no desire to stand out from other hardcore bands, except for their straight edge vindication. If one can stand such generic metal, though, they could stand this album. Ultimately, the album is decent although derivative.
