Bril
Airless Alarm
(Kirtland Records)
Two and a half out of five stars
Despite their hometown of San Clemente, Calif., the young gents in Bril are best described as Brit-pop. The group's debut album, Airless Alarm, is reminiscent of U.K. alternative rock circa 1996 or so -- when Radiohead ruled the airwaves and Oasis claimed they were better than the Beatles. Although the melodies tend to be somewhat bland and easily forgettable, they serve as a suitable backdrop for the soaring vocals. On the first track, "Don't You Change," singer Dave Starr's voice sounds a bit like Bono doing a Thom Yorke impression. However, the rest of the album sounds more like an old Muse record. Airless Alarm is not necessarily a bad album; it's just about 10 years too late.
With Honor
This is our Revenge
(Victory Records)
Four out of five stars
Four out of five stars
With Honor is a modern hardcore band more in the vein of Bane or Reach the Sky than some of the more watered-down, breakdown-heavy bands Victory Records has offered lately. That's not to say you won't get the occasional chugga-chugga action or two-stepping riff that lends. Eleven songs about politics, relationships and the scene demonstrate a lot wider breadth than With Honor's previous releases. The closer "In a Bottle" has a huge sing-a-long chorus, and the ending gang-vocal shout of "We grew up too fast!" of "Small Dreams" begs for a pile-on. If you dig the post-Gorilla Biscuits world of hardcore tinged with metal, but don't like the legions of meathead bro-bands it has spawned, With Honor is a breath of fresh air.
With Honor is scheduled to perform with Most Precious Blood on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at Neckbeard's Soda Bar.
