Roadside Monument
Eight Hours Away From Being a Man
Tooth & Nail, Tooth and Nail, PO Box 12698, Seattle WA 98111, james@toothandnail.com
Release Date: June 24, 1997
Sperm Ridden Burden," the pummeling screamer that opens Roadside Monument's full-length debut, hints at an album full of first-rate sonic attacks -- which would be fine, of course. But what follows this unfortunately titled opening gem is even better -- a surprisingly eclectic, but thoroughly coherent, plateful of crunching rock.
A good deal of Eight Hours falls within the sketchy boundaries of emo-core (guttural, emotionally driven hardcore), but, thankfully, the band isn't afraid to let the melodies stand brazenly on top of the mix. The album even soars to some highly orchestrated vistas, most notably the gorgeous, sweeping "Crop Circles." Lengthy epic tunes are dangerously self-indulgent, particularly in a musical genre already ripe with self-importance. Luckily, the composers have the mind and heart to pull it off.
Bob Weston (June of 44, abc, etc.) -- who could surely find a way to make the London Philharmonic rock -- produced the album with typical brilliance.
-- Jon Carson
carson@outersound.com
