Review Summary: American Sharks' debut doesn't put on any disguises whatsoever. What you see and hear is what you get, and you only get it for 20 minutes.
Right off the bat, everything's fuzzed-out, filthy, and fast-paced. However, everyone is also very in sync with the other members of the trio, and with the distorted bass and fuzzy guitar laid on top of a solid percussion framework, the band create a force you can't help but bang your head to. That is where American Sharks' strength really lies, from a listener's perspective, it doesn't take long to catch on to what's being played, and really start to feel the music yourself. American Sharks are pounding out catchy riff after catchy riff from start to finish, and that catchiness helps give the music another dimension rather than just heavy rock.
It cannot be denied that this is very simple music. While that does make it easy to digest, it could be a major detractor if not for a smart blend of influences. The band has stoner heaviness, hard-rock melody, and punk attitude. Whether or not this combination was intentional or not, it works. It sort of takes some of the better attributes of each of these and folds them nicely together for the listener to enjoy, a middle ground, if you will, for people not wanting to commit to heavily to any of those 3 genres.
All that being said, American Sharks aren't exactly coming up with a new and innovative take on music, and it makes this album's length quite perfect for what they have to offer. Not one song reaches the 3 minute mark. But that's all they need to develop and reach their full potential as memorable heavy rockers, and man do these songs rock hard! It's fun music, and doesn't try to be anything it's not, a very commendable trait in an age where more and more heavy bands are to consumed by attempting to complicate their music to make it different.
American Sharks have laid down a very promising framework for what is hopefully an exciting career. They certainly have the time to perfect their sound, and it should be a sound for all to enjoy for years to come.
