Exoduster
With a few more tweeks, If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It would be the best melodic hardcore album in some time. Featuring Joe Enos on guitar/vocals (‘wounded animal screams’), Corey Gass on bass/vocals (‘angry old man screams’) and Black Thomas on drums/vocals, In Arcadia has more raw emotion in this nine song record than ten other bands combined. And it is glorious. Without question, the intensity of In Arcadia, while making you move to the harmonies and melody, etches images of your favorite local hardcore and punk bands kicking your ass at the local VFW. Early Boysetsfire may handle the intensity angle and the melodies are reminiscent of a slightly less technical and more hardcore Piebald. If this doesn’t make you want to sign up, then you are an idiot. So, why is If It Bleeds not the best record in a while? Well, certain moments drag rather than propel (e.g., parts of “Megadeth Fiero,” the actual vocals on the slower “Fathom the Brig’uns” and the closer “Fuck a Bunch of Friendship”). The other obvious slight is that If It Bleeds is of rather marginal recording quality – like your needle was screwed up when you played the vinyl. At the same time, super sweet moments carry the day. Get prepared to be blitzed on the BSF-style opener “Olsen Twins Pornography,” which moves from heavy bass screaming to an awesome riff and indie vocals. “Olsen Twins Pornography” makes you a quick believer of In Arcadia. “Leaving Orlando” follows a similar trajectory though lacks a defining moment, while “Super Teeth” provides a solid indie punk track. If you want to get your pants ripped off follow “There’s No Crying In Baseball” through the first minute-and-a-half to the drop dead awesome riff that makes your eyes well up and your nipples get hard. An interesting question is whether In Arcadia would exude as much emotion and intensity if the recording was of crisp quality? Hopefully they will be around long enough to let us know.
