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Kane Hodder

The Pleasure To Remain So Heartless (2004)
Suburban Home Records

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Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on November 5th 2004

Kane Hodder's debut EP A Frank Exploration Of Voyeurism And Violence, released earlier this year, was an interesting blend of pure indie rock and mosh-free hardcore, but really lacked something, seeming a bit misguided - it wasn't completely directionless, but rather it was another case of a band loaded with potential, just looking for the right niche to settle into.

On The Pleasure To Remain So Heartless, Kane Hodder settle into this niche, then rip its outer core inside-fucking-out.

Pleasure is a definite improvement over A Frank Exploration to say the least, as the band takes the logical extension incorporating a slightly more melodic structure, more comfortably fit hardcore parts and occasional bits of post-hardcore (especially the earlier middle part of the disc). Continuing a total abandonment of traditional chorus-verse standard, Kane Hodder thrive on a lack of structure like vultures prey on a lack of liveliness. The rock is a little more rock and the hardcore is a little more hardcore, as when the latter's transition comes in, it's followed with the appropriately heavy guitars and its ilk - the band will change moods at the drop of a dime and simultaneously manage to smooth things over like standard procedure usually wouldn't allow. Juxtaposing screaming growls against indie rock snarls shouldn't work this well, but it does, because they incorporate influences across the map from At The Drive-In to Dillinger Escape Plan (seriously, listen to the intro of "You Sign Your Crimes With A Silver Bullet"). The vocal range is, like the latter, shockingly good, as they jump everywhere from hardcore-induced growling to clean singing to crooning and sinister prophecies.

Depicting surrender doused in flames on the front cover paves the way for the rest of the disc in terms of lyrical subject matter. The personal identity and relationship topics tackled are disguised by often graphic landscapes and occasional biblical imagery, dwelling on cancerous metaphors and a vague reference to suicide here and there. The adolescent misogyny can get clichéd and bluntly corny a lot of times ("tie your hair back / I wanna kiss you before I kill you"), but for the most part, the band seems to know what they're doing.

Music this experimentive these days is never this pretension-free, but Kane Hodder pulls it off in this sense. Hell, they title the second track "I Think Patrick Swayze Is Sexy," and kick it off with Darkness-like crooning, splashing more high-pitched yelps like this across the rest of the song, and even throw in a clap-led chant-along just over a minute in that I'd imagine would translate so well live. It sums up the album quite nicely, showing how you can avoid most trends, still push boundaries and bypass the usual pitfalls without stumbling over the faultlines of such a challenge.

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etwiels88 (November 27, 2005)

It took a while to get into this cd, but it's pretty refreshing

Anonymous (March 30, 2005)

You're absolutely right about the clap-led chant translating well live. Andrew is a great vocalist with real range. and he really knows how to get a crowd going live.

This band has a truly unique sound and in my opinion, potential to leave a real mark and influence on future artists.

Anonymous (March 25, 2005)

I saw them live , they are good . There cd is ok .... um yeah...

Anonymous (December 3, 2004)

This album is awesome, i can't wait to see them live

Anonymous (November 10, 2004)

hey i just reviewed this for my school's radio station. how bout that? not bad, not great. the sticker on this cd says RIYL Bear vs. Shark. HA. this band does not even begin to compare with Bear vs. Shark. note to all: never trust those damn stickers.

Anonymous (November 8, 2004)

Maybe they should make a quality step up and call the band Michael Meyers....oooohhhh hahaha

Anonymous (November 8, 2004)

Never actually listened to this band.......but it has to be the lamest band name ever, or one of the lamest. Why name your band after an actor who plays a famous b-movie killer in some of the worst horror films of all time?

Agoor haaak!! Raaaaaaar!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrr!
Raaaaa!

-Jason Vorhees

Anonymous (November 8, 2004)

News Flash: There is already a band called Voorhees and they fucking own.

Cut the crybaby Indie shit or get a less-brutal name.

-Ken

stevejonestherealbones (November 7, 2004)

this shit is a dime a dozen nowadays.

- jones the bones

Anonymous (November 7, 2004)

I like the cover art. It tickles my fancy.

Anonymous (November 6, 2004)

i got this cd... just not that good.

bogey4 (November 6, 2004)

Has anyone else noticed the shift in reviews where they are having a much greater emphasis on album sequencing? Its nice to see the albums being analyzed on more in-depth level and with the reviewer paying attention to more than just the obvious "first-listen" characteristics. Now if we had some critique on the album art as well, things would *really* be progressive for punknews.

Anonymous (November 6, 2004)

Dude, Scott is still large and in charge.

Anonymous (November 6, 2004)

Awesome Brian, just awesome, i think i've forgotten about Scott by now. I just wish you'd look more like michael moore.

Anonymous (November 6, 2004)

This is the first time a reviewer has understood the (I thought, obvious) connection between my artwork and Hodder's music.
About time!

Great review, well written.

//Drew

irish_joo (November 6, 2004)

just buy the colossal record again. Why? because it's that flippin good.

aubin (November 5, 2004)

Couldn't have said it better myself, Brian.

It's a good record with both strong songwriting, and an especially talented vocalist.

Anonymous (November 5, 2004)

I need to buy an indie rock album released this year in the vein of Colossal/Jets to Brazil/Mission of Burma. What do I buy?

-bemused

pastepunk (November 5, 2004)

Great review Brian - I think we both have a very similar view of the release. The lack of pretension is perhaps the bands best asset while playing a style that's so incredibly hard to pin down.

crossfiyaaa (November 5, 2004)

Kane Hodder suck.