Crime in Stereo - Crime in Stereo is Dead

Crime in Stereo
Crime in Stereo is Dead
Bridge Nine Records
Grade: A-

The first Crime in Stereo material I heard was small snippets off their acclaimed 2006 album The Troubled Stateside – an awesome maelstrom of contemporary melodic hardcore in a similar vein to Lifetime. Further, that CIS is from LI stoked my interest even further. And thus, curiosity ran quite high for this eleven-song offering on their new label Bridge Nine Records. Given CIS’ past material and that B9 has a swath of tough-guy hardcore bands on their lineup, you’d figure to find harder edge songs. And yet, Crime in Stereo is Dead is considerably more tempered than past albums with a concentration on song structures, rhythms, and melodies. You still find the balls-out melodic hardcore rockers such as the splendidly brilliant “Nixon,” opener “The First Thousand Years of Solitude,” the more poppy “Animal Pharm,” and closer “Choker.” But there are also complicated, multi-tempo songs such as “But You Are Vast,” “Small Skeletal,” and “Vicious Teeth.” Even though “Nixon” with its tremendous rhythmic solo is most reminiscent of past songs (and bands like Lifetime), the catchiness and magnetic powers also will draw every listen to press repeat over and over. With the members of Crime in Stereo moving in different directions in their lives, check them out while you still can.