Strike Anywhere
approaches their loud brand of
rock
in a similar fashion to that of fellow Richmond, VA, residents
Avail
. With a bit of poppy, melodic
punk rock
and an ample dose of some tougher
hardcore
, more often than not the result is a melodic blast of memorable and inspired music. Things are a bit lopsided on the band's first
Jade Tree
release, but the overwhelming amount of
rumbling makes the underlying catchiness of the songs even more believable. Used to the world of basement shows and
fans,
has an intense immediacy to all of their music, and singer
Thomas Barnett
has a scorching voice that's able to shift from intense song to powerful screams in the middle of a lyric. The record could almost be considered watered-down in light of the raging anger prevalent in most
, but the structured songs and challenging changes make the record a powerful document. Like their labelmates,
the Explosion
,
takes a style and gives it a slightly new and more approachable edge, steering clear of reinventing a genre, yet still making a more original sound.
Change Is a Sound
is a fine representation of an ever-evolving and always-updating underground scene, and this band has the potential to steal the hearts of kids who have in the past fallen for groups like
Hot Water Music
and their similar peers. There really is a lot to like about this record, and though it might be a bit tame compared to some of the other jacked-up
acts out there, it is also noticeably more evolved. ~ Peter J. D'Angelo