Strikeforce Diablo - The Albatross And The Architect
I thought the Jawbox throne would lay unclaimed for many more years to come but Strikeforce Diablo has made a worthy bid here with "The Albatross and The Architect". Like Jawbox, Strikeforce Diablo employs an angular, post hardcore sound that swerves from tight, tribal drum and bass rhythms to scene stealing
bombastic choruses that drip with the righteous angst that only down and out indie rockers seem to be able to summon. The other area that brings the comparison home as well is the vocals. He's a dead ringer for a scratchier J. Robbins so the whole package is eerily reminiscent of that late, great band.
That's not to say they don't have a musical identity of their own. Strikeforce Diablo is more content to lay down a fast paced punk tempo to drive a song forward and the guitar work, while solid and well written, is not as varied or obtuse as late period Jawbox, instead relying more on sheer power than nuance to create a mood. So in that respect they more readily resemble the first two Jawbox records: punkier, raw post hardcore with less meandering but very compelling nonetheless.
As expected with this type of music, there's a fairly large spectrum of emotions explored here. From softer, almost ballad like passages to full blown, distortion filled crescendos that explode out of your speakers to tense, galloping segues, this band is always taking you somewhere new in each and every song. This sweeping mix of musical moods, coupled with the surprisingly strong songwriting for a debut album, makes this a sure winner for any Jawbox fan or any fan of moody, powerful post hardcore.
That's not to say they don't have a musical identity of their own. Strikeforce Diablo is more content to lay down a fast paced punk tempo to drive a song forward and the guitar work, while solid and well written, is not as varied or obtuse as late period Jawbox, instead relying more on sheer power than nuance to create a mood. So in that respect they more readily resemble the first two Jawbox records: punkier, raw post hardcore with less meandering but very compelling nonetheless.
As expected with this type of music, there's a fairly large spectrum of emotions explored here. From softer, almost ballad like passages to full blown, distortion filled crescendos that explode out of your speakers to tense, galloping segues, this band is always taking you somewhere new in each and every song. This sweeping mix of musical moods, coupled with the surprisingly strong songwriting for a debut album, makes this a sure winner for any Jawbox fan or any fan of moody, powerful post hardcore.
