Engine Down - Engine Down

Fans of Engine Down will be pleased to hear much more of their trademark sound.

Guitars in hand and Converses on foot, Engine Down returns to the indie rock scene fresh from another ass-kicking breakup and brawl. Angst is a profitable emotion, and it is quite clear that they plan on banking on that fact. Their self-titled album boasts twelve tracks that are sure to blow them from the underground to rock the unsuspecting world above. With names like “101” and “Etcetera” this collection of songs appears to be rather apathetic. Too cool for school? Well of course- we all knew that- but one cannot ignore the dark, tormented undertones beneath the angry guitar riffs, crashing drums and ringing cymbals. No sir. So the only thing left to do is appreciate someone else’s pain through the universal medium of indie rock.

While Engine Down is primarily known for being pretty hardcore, a very fortunate and clever aspect of their music is that they don’t sacrifice melody for emotion. Any band can scream into a microphone and squirm on the floor while scratching out a heated guitar solo. But these guys put rhythm to the confusing and bewildering sensations of the genre. Already with a solid fan following, Engine Down takes the haphazard chaos of adolescence and channels it into a tunable turmoil that speaks like every movie about fast cars, fast kids, and fast forward motion plummeting towards eventual ruin (or possibly revision).

The vocals remain breathy and smooth and then spike to furious heights as the refrain kicks in. The drums keep a static beat with plenty of bass, and the guitars wail and screech in time to accentuate the swells and lows of each song. The melodies all have a universally hypnotic and rhythmic style as the harmony blends seamlessly together. Fans of Engine Down will be pleased to hear much more of their trademark sound. Some bands change their style dramatically with new albums, but not Engine Down. Their tried and true formula for indie rock music remains, as do their wealth of followers. This album is a definite must for any angsty collection of hardcore music and is a great candidate for any indie rock mix soundtrack.

(Lookout Records)