The Fall of Troy

I got a couple of CDs in the mail from Lujo Records yesterday, including The Fall of Troy’s self-titled debut. I popped it in at work, not really expecting much other than another round of screamo/hardcore stuff. During the first couple of tracks, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it… although looking back, my co-workers were probably wondering my head was bobbing and my feet were tapping to such weird rhythms.

There were flashes of brilliance that were practically blinding, but also a handful of moments where the CD seemed to falter a bit. I loved the sloppy, proggy guitars and the off-kilter sense of melodicism that permeates the album and balances out the more chaotic, spastic elements of their music. However, the whole singing/screaming approach wears a bit thin for me, and the song’s short attention span was often a bit frustrating. But my opinion was fairly favorable… until, that is, the 7th track (“F.C.P.S.I.T.S.G.E.P.G.E.P.G.E.P”) came on and promptly handed me my ass.

Within 30 seconds, I was scrambling to pull up a browser window and search for anything and everything I could find about this band. This song is all about rhythm, propelled by a rubbery bassline and drumming that borders on a grand mal seizure. All the while, angsty vocals and brittle post-punk guitars dance around the edges until the song explodes in a chorus of violent screams and echoing, yearning guitar notes (which might just be the most wonderful thing I heard all week).

Needless to say, after that track, I was completely sold on the album. There’s more energy and passion in these songs than I’ve heard in most of punk/hardcore/emo albums I’ve received lately. Yes, it’s technically brilliant — these guys play each song to within an inch of their lives (and supposedly, most of them were done in one take) — but there’s nothing pretentious about it. How can there be when you can literally see the blood and sweat dripping from each second? There are no “Can we make the Dillinger Escape Plan influence any more obvious?” or “Hey look at us, we’re loud, heavy, and kuh-razy” moments here… just brilliant hardcore/metal/prog/glam/post-punk/God knows what else that absolutely slays. Judging from the live tracks on their website (including a great version of “F.C.P.S.I.T.S.G.E.P.G.E.P.G.E.P”), it sounds like they’re just as sick live.

Which begs the question, “So when are you boys coming to the Midwest?”