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Few modern bands have mastered the English language to a T. Even fewer have managed to present this art in unfashionable (not meant to be ironic) yet relevant and coherent forms. Last Night in Town is where Every Time I Die did both, bringing the terms "rhetoric" and "caustic" each to a whole new level.

The key structure to these ten songs is that there is no structure. As playfully elaborated in the review of the equally spectacular Hot Damn!, ETID stray from choruses like they were acting out magnetism laws. Backtracking on lines such as "a whole lotta shakin' going on," "everybody please remain calm," and "is this any of this making sense?" is only done so as to expand on the orchestrated panic seething through the speakers, trying to claw its way to freedom like a cell-confined convict.

There's a certain vagueness many of the songs carry as well. A specific interpretation is implied by each, but abundantly open to varied meaning. Is "California, Gracefully" a DUI warning or just highway valor? Is the post-slaughter confession of "I didn't survive the crash" that drips in irony symbolic for something other than metaphorical death? (Maybe.) Nevertheless, with each bitter spewing, a certain level of sarcasm is evident. Take "The Logic of Crocodiles" - the band picks apart corporate clichés ("we are respectively geared towards customer service"), and pairs them with blunt mocking ("I have a very expensive pen"), transforming the illusion of three-piece getups into clown costumes.

Oh yeah, the music. The band's penetrating screams and joyously wild yells are all nicely decipherable in comparison to the normally untranslatable Cookie Monster theatrics usually depended upon by other prefix-core bands. The guitars flip-flop between frenetic riffing and hyperactive decrescendos. Save for a hot minute in "Nothing Dreadful Ever Happens," it's metalcore that does not let the fuck up. In other words, it's gorgeous, in a sick and twisted manner.

The one main issue with the disc is the lack of a climaxing finish to the last song, "Shallow Water Blackout." However, you're going to be subject to that possibility when every song of yours is simply a breakdown.

In short, this album rocks. Hard. It rocks like a house on a fucking fault line. If you haven't yet united this with Hot Damn! to make them one happy couple - then, to quote Every Time I Die, "you're so oblivious."

MP3s
"Punch-Drunk Punk Rock Romance"
"The Logic of Crocodiles"

VIDEO (QUICKTIME)
"The Logic of Crocodiles"



People who liked this also liked:
Every Time I Die - Hot Damn!Gatsbys American Dream - Gatsbys American DreamThe Blood Brothers - Young MachetesCircle Takes The Square - As The Roots UndoThe Blood Brothers - Burn Piano Island, BurnBig D And The Kids Table - How It GoesAgainst Me! - As The Eternal CowboyA Wilhelm Scream - RuinerRefused - The Shape of Punk to ComeThe Clash - London Calling



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    Posted by ABedForLiars on 2006-09-18 12:02:00
    My Score:

    This album kicks ass!

    Posted by HeresLookinAtYou on 2006-03-17 18:27:08
    My Score:

    Easily one of my favorite albums of all time.

    Probably #1 or #2. Can't decide.

    Posted by davebrave4 on 2006-01-18 21:08:59
    My Score:

    I think you may have over-analyzed some of the lyrics. I don't think they are meant to be that personal or anything; it sounds like a bunch of random weird phrases to me. But what do I know?

    Anyway, I really like the album.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, November 24, 2005 at 7:13 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    what book was it? http://www.los-angeles-casino.com/lanir/casino-directory-2005.htm l

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 5, 2004 at 8:50 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    anyone who objects this band will surely die soon there after, best show ive ever seen

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 24, 2004 at 12:12 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Aren't these dudes form Buffalo?
    Home of the legendary Zero Tolerance!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 22, 2004 at 12:40 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    'Hot Damn!' is their fucking thrash album. One song is like rock and roll but for the most part they hit it faster than they do in 'Last Night...'. This one may be heavier, because of more metal riffing, but 'Hot Damn!' is better.

    --Bing Crosby

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 8:13 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "I would still choose Gorilla Biscuits over this metal-core crap anyday."

    i love both.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 6:44 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    I would still choose Gorilla Biscuits over this metal-core crap anyday.

    Posted by t-rav on 2004-02-18 14:23:46
    My Score:

    This bad is horrible...seem to be better comedians than musicians.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 12:41 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    The guy from glassjaw does have the most annoying voice ever, Rule one in generic sing/scream hardcore - never sing in key. Rule 2 - always push your voice to far so you seem really really emotional. Rule 3 - if your gonna suck be really really cute so you can have every 14 to 16 year old girl cum in there underoos for you.

    This everytime i die cd is pretty good. I dont like hot damn! really, I dont like when bands get all rock and roll on me. To me heavier is better, but dont jump on me because im stating that as my opinion not as a fact.

    randomdipshit

    Posted by inagreendase on 2004-02-18 10:45:02
    My Score:

    "he sounds like the guy from glassjaw who has the single most annoying voice ever."

    Darryl Palumbo is one of my favorite vocalists. Even for the reasons I can understand you not liking him, there are FAR more annoying vocalists out there (Claudio from C&C when his balls are put in a vice...Rufio...).

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 3:44 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    these guys are pretty hardcore, but with a name like theirs they should be scaring slayer fans

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 10:15 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    the demo and ep were good. afyet that all junk

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 10:04 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    one of the very few metalcore bands i like...this is definately my favorite from them.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 9:22 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    they kind of really aped drowningman, botch and (to a lesser extent) deadguy on this album, but i still really like it. the songs are just really well written and organized. i think hot damn is a better cd overall though, because they more developed their own style on that one. the singing vocals on this cd kind of irk me though, because he sounds like the guy from glassjaw who has the single most annoying voice ever.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 7:30 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    unbelievably bad.

    Posted by gatecrasher on 2004-02-17 19:27:36
    My Score:

    this band is unbelievable.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 5:40 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    yea rock on for sure.
    i like this album in a different way than "hot damn" but they are both extremely well crafted albums.
    Oh by the way everyone check out the video for ebolarama.
    Its fucking rock. -intheshapeofawineglass

    Posted by tyroneshoelaces on 2004-02-17 17:07:53
    My Score:

    The video for Logic of Crocodiles is fucking awesome. And this cd rips, I watched this vid on the computer at school the other day and all I wanted to do is get up and crowd surf. It rips!!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 2:00 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Hot Damn! is quite catchy, but put all of the components of a insanely crazy cd, and you get this. i often do the bedroom mosh and half the time listening to this...i either dance or have my jaw hanging in amazement....then i fall down, hit my head on something hard, and ask myself "why am i bedroom moshing"

    Posted by slippy on 2004-02-17 13:42:24
    My Score:

    I just got this one, and I have to say that I like Hot Damn! a little more, because of the trashy rock and roll aspect. even so, this fucking rips.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 1:38 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i love the logic of crocodiles and i love this album. but that's not neccessarily news.

    Ramo

    Posted by thriceequalsgod on 2004-02-17 12:44:44
    My Score:

    hot damn is so good... im gonna have to pick it up, it sounds awesome. i think this is also one of your better reviews.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 12:34 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    rrrrr, so good. i like hot damn better though.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 at 12:01 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    i fucking love this band...they bring it live

    jimmy tango's method is one of my all time favorite songs

    Posted by P-Fresh on 2004-02-17 11:52:50
    My Score:

    I'm not too into this band recorded.

    I saw them live, however, with Terror, Suicide File, Day Of Contempt and Bane, and they put out a ridiculously good show.

    The score is for the new TKO Records compilation that I am listening to.

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