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The Minor Times

Summer of Wolves (2007)
Prosthetic Records

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on September 21st 2007

The Minor Times have the distinction of being the first band on Prosthetic Records I've ever been fully interested in, with their proper label debut coming in the form of Summer of Wolves, a 41-minute slab of Botch-y goodness. They've got those angular riffs, strainingly growled vocals, distorted bass, pounding stop-start guitars and medium pace they roll wi--okay, so yeah, the Minor Times sound a lot like Botch.

And we all know they're not alone. The post-We Are the Romans clones have come in droves. Some bad, others impressive, and a slew of decent (somewhat) imitators. The Minor Times fall clearly into the third camp, but they also draw from the heaviest moments of epic metal's upper classmen (Isis, Buried Inside). This prevents Summer of Wolves from processions that would otherwise be rather generic, instead offering an interesting hybrid of ideas into a palatable array of digestible metalcore.

Tracks like "Van Zant" and "This Is the Blues" benefit from the employment of the occasional clean guitar riff, repeatedly picked to establish a rhythmic atmosphere. In the latter, it weaves in and out of the song, letting it become overpowered by the harrowing vocals and heavier chords. "Bring in the Suit" is a nine-minute epic with weird, nearly choral "na na"s over lighter fare making up a hefty portion of it.

A little lengthy, and a little derivative, the Minor Times' Summer of Wolves is just powerful and enjoyable enough to overcome these faults.

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Summer of Wolves

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SilentStorms (September 24, 2007)

"Feeding: Off Minor? If it wasn't for the ex tag you wouldn't even had heard them. Really, really, really, really bad band."

Insert 'good', 'great', 'fantastic' or 'much better than your' for 'bad' and this comment makes sense. Although that last insert would sound kind of weird. But hey, I'm just playing with what I have.

feeeding5000 (September 22, 2007)

"Feeding: Off Minor? If it wasn't for the ex tag you wouldn't even had heard them. Really, really, really, really bad band."

Uhhh...actually, I saw them. Like, playing. Live. So, like, the ex-Saetia thing just was sorta a "no? really?" kinda thing. I dunno, I think the juxtaposition of fairly typical screamo with jazz parts is pretty cool.

inagreendase (September 22, 2007)

you can't compare 4 completely different bands like that. its ridiculous.

I think we just did. Boo-yah.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (September 22, 2007)

Feeding: Off Minor? If it wasn't for the ex tag you wouldn't even had heard them. Really, really, really, really bad band.

elephantdwarf (September 21, 2007)

you can't compare 4 completely different bands like that. its ridiculous.

inagreendase (September 21, 2007)

Feeding's about right on this one.

feeeding5000 (September 21, 2007)

So can I say
Minor Threat > Off Minor > Minor Times > Fort Minor.

I doubt anyone sane will argue.

elephantdwarf (September 21, 2007)

this album is above average, but after "making enemies", just kind of dissappoints a lot. ME was so fucking harsh, especially lyrically. hard album to top, but this is still a decent listen.

shanholtzer (September 21, 2007)

bag is the new way to say band on the internet fuck you

shanholtzer (September 21, 2007)

everyone is this bag is a complete fuckbag

danperrone (September 21, 2007)

definitely an average album

elephantdwarf (September 21, 2007)

uh-oh. you labeled the minor times "metalcore". i spit on your grave.