Engine Down

Engine Down: Engine DownEngine Down (2004)
Lookout Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

Contributed by: maverickScott
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on August 24th 2004Engine Down's journey has been a long and arduous one. Starting off screamo (real screamo, ala Saetia or I Hate Myself) and morphing into a hypnotic-post hardcore band over the course of a few years, culminating with Demure, the band has never really been given enough credit [outside of former tour.

Engine Down's journey has been a long and arduous one. Starting off screamo (real screamo, ala Saetia or I Hate Myself) and morphing into a hypnotic-post hardcore band over the course of a few years, culminating with Demure, the band has never really been given enough credit [outside of former tourmates that praise them to high heaven] - if I see one more clueless rock critic reference them as "ex-Denali," I'm liable to go crazy. This album, their fourth, should change all that - unfortunately it's nowhere near their best work.

ED's sound has taken a slightly dramatic turn towards the uptempo, with cuts like "Cover" and "And Done" being as punky and rock-oriented as the band's ever gotten before. It's a bit shocking at first, but once you realize that this band has never made the same album twice, it sorta makes sense. The problem lies in the number of songs here that try to duplicate Demure's hypnotic pulses - "The Walk In" drones on, never really climaxing.

There's still enough new blood injected into a majority of these songs to keep them interesting, however. Crunchy distortion and slide guitar makes a song like "Rogue" go from good to great. The rhythm section of Jason Wood and Cornbread Compton are amazingly tight and propulsive, which only furthers some of Jonathan Fuller's guitar lines into your subconsciousness. The thing is, too many of them have been done before on Demure.

I hate to constantly keep referencing Demure in comparison to this self-titled effort, but it's really all that can be referenced -- Engine Down is in a musical class of their own, but sadly, they've been held back a grade with this album, which is no more than Demure Pt. II with a faster metronome ticking behind it. It's still a great collection of songs; I just know the band has more potential than this holding-pattern album.

MP3s
Rogue
And Done
Cover
In Turn
Long Time Waiting

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (December 30, 2004)

I bought this today (used) and I'm not too impressed with it. It's good music, sure, but it doesn't really jump out at me. Maybe it'll grow on me.

I don't really like the vocals.

Anonymous (September 12, 2004)

i was a bit disapointed at the first listen, as i was at the first demure listen, as i was it the first album listen... before engine down became one of my favorite bands ever. This band is not like the other maystream bands you compare them too, they follow their way with personality. This album is one of the 3 rock records i allowed myself to listen this summer.
an ex-allthisfakescenemember.
ps: hope to listen to you as well maura!

Anonymous (August 31, 2004)

"this band has no energy live. they suck live and this sounds like nu metal or something"---wtf! whoever wrote this is insane! everytime i see engine down, it just keeps getting better and better! the intensity and vibe of their performance is incredible! one of the best live bands out there!! and yes, they did just get all their stuff stolen, so guys, here's one fan wishing you the best in recovery/replacement!!!

Anonymous (August 30, 2004)

this band has no energy live. they suck live and this sounds like nu metal or something....I could see guys with long hair and tool t-shirts listening to this...

Anonymous (August 30, 2004)

good god people dont say that stuff about the album, i would like you guys to try and play their music, engine down has been around since 96- and they did scream on under the pretense of present tense- this album is really good, altho I wish they would of played more like their cd to bury within sound....And all there shit just got stolen, there van, instument everything. so give it up for engine down, once again another GREAT JOB!

and p.s Thursday and spitalfiled SUCK- stupid mtv kids

Anonymous (August 29, 2004)

This record needs more cowbell!
I'm all wet boys!
-Maura Davis-

Yet_Another_Stupid_Fuck (August 28, 2004)

This band sucks ass. I saw them on the thursday/poisonthewell tour and they blew major ass. no energy at all.

Anonymous (August 28, 2004)

"This band is such shit. I saw them live once (ptw and thursday tour thingy), and they played after spitalfield, and it was like spitalfield never ended. The shitty music just kept on coming! Fuck this band."

this guy just said almost exactly what i was going to say.

Crookedsuperhero (August 27, 2004)

Da na na.

Anonymous (August 26, 2004)

just bought this record. its dope. i highly recommend this and i wish lookout would put out more stuff like this. oh yeah, the drumming on this album is pretty slick.

Anonymous (August 26, 2004)

This is their best record yet.

Anonymous (August 26, 2004)

this is crap, Lookout Records...my how the mighty have fallen!

cubaricho (August 25, 2004)

I just obtained this album, good stuff. there's definetly some cave in and tool in the mix.

Anonymous (August 25, 2004)

this kinda reminds me of dredg, but i think i like dredg more

Anonymous (August 25, 2004)

you should put Demure on and have some sex. the score's for sex.

Anonymous (August 25, 2004)

"I don't recall Engine Down's screamo phase. At least, I never recall them sounding like Saetia."

They consist of ex-members of the famous screamo band Sleepytime Trio. Their earliest works reflects that of the former band.

slippy (August 25, 2004)

The Washdown is on Lookout! and they are awesome.

Anonymous (August 25, 2004)

pitchfork 7.7

jheisel (August 25, 2004)

I don't recall Engine Down's screamo phase. At least, I never recall them sounding like Saetia.

logan (August 25, 2004)

That was a really good review... especially all the links.

Engine Down are a solid, solid rock band... they've come along way and I hope that them being on Lookout equals more opportunities. I hope they don't break up (ala Small Brown Bike) ... but I thought the best move for them would have been Epitaph, even Vagrant would have been a good fit.... but Lookout??? I don't doubt they put a lot of hardwork into that record label, but ... other than Ted Leo... there isn't a lot of great stuff out that way.. This is just one man's opinion.

Anonymous (August 24, 2004)

This band is like Linkin Park, unique sounding at first, then they're just a copy of a copy of themselves over and over again.

Anonymous (August 24, 2004)

Cornbread Compton is the greatest name ever.

opivykid (August 24, 2004)

This band is such shit. I saw them live once (ptw and thursday tour thingy), and they played after spitalfield, and it was like spitalfield never ended. The shitty music just kept on coming! Fuck this band.

tahoejeff (August 24, 2004)

Isn't this Ex-Denali?

SethCohen (August 24, 2004)

Demure is such an awesome record. I really enjoy them every time I see them.

Anonymous (August 24, 2004)

i got really excited a couple months ago when i heard hwm was touring with planes and engine down. i don't know how they made the switch from engine down to alexisonfire, but it's not a very fair trade.

MarchAndCollapse (August 24, 2004)

Good, catchy material. It'll be in my cd player for a month at least.

Anonymous (August 24, 2004)

Even though this isnt engine downs best work its still way better than most of the shat being released these days.