LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE
Light Yourself on Fire
Kiss of DeathTrack listing:
01. 960 AM
02. Smells Like It Sounds
03. Flux Capacitor
04. Rickshaw
05. You Talking Is It Necessary
06. 4 Blows
07. Revision Starts At Home
The debut EP from this Tampa, Florida outfit is a tough little bugger and rather enjoyable. "Light Yourself on Fire" (yeah, I could think of a few people worthy of the suggestion too) is 14 minutes of noisy CONVERGE-ish hardcore crossed with a sliver of death that probably owes more to a band like UNSANE for its sandpaper grooves than your average noisy metalcore band.
The disc's seven songs are short and the music is wrapped tightly in a chunky and abrasive package. The coarse riffs and tastefully done bits of six-string dissonance are flavorful, to say the least. It's not like the songwriting is anything remotely revolutionary, but the jams are quite burly and make the point in mostly convincing fashion. Vocalist "Matt" (is it chic to leave out surnames or something now?) possesses a mid-range, raspy growl that rarely stretches beyond the safe zone, but works well enough just the same. As a side note, each set of lyrics comes with a background tidbit about the song. For example, "Flux Capacitor" comes with the following comment: "We are all neurotic. Most refuse to admit it, though it's less stressful if we greet it with open arms."
Even a 20- or 25-minute album would have probably gotten monotonous. Fourteen minutes works just fine, manly because the guys get in and out quickly, kicking the ball sack forcefully and leaving no time for the question of motive. Hittin' it and quittin' it does have its advantages, especially for $6. Gnarly shit for sure, but nothing approaching phenomenal.