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Coliseum

No Salvation
2007
Relapse / Auxiliary

Coliseum - No Salvation (Cover Artwork)

Review by: DangerHazzard
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Published on October 9th 2007

After getting face-blasted by Coliseum in a Denver warehouse multiple moons ago I’ve been growing my beard in anticipation for No Salvation.

In that industrial wasteland I saw a band rip apart the basic premise of their early records, Coliseum and the Goddamage EP. On wax, those albums just weren’t enough -- the anger was in the guitar and vocals but the rhythm section couldn’t keep up. By the time I’d seen the band live, Mike Pascal and Chris Maggio had been brought in to fill out the low end and the shells, respectively. They are significantly more versatile musicians, which is a polite way of mentioning that the simple Motörhead beats of the early recordings have been transformed into something more, well, Relapse-friendly. Which isn’t to say the band has gone all grind on you or anything; rather, the back end has finally caught up with Ryan Patterson’s full stacks and growlings.

This is a group of musicians steeped in the knowledge of old-school punk rock, and with such familiarity comes the pressure of taking what was best from that music and creating something new. The tension of punk ostensibly being a form of music for the talent-less has been hanging onto a very long final breath and Coliseum has unplugged the respirator. It’s not only OK to know a little bit about playing the guitar, the bass or the drums -- it’s preferred. Ryan’s time in the National Acrobat and Black Widows/Cross showcased his chops alongside his brother Evan, the six-string viking of Breather Resist and Young Widows. So the pedigree is there, but Coliseum’s early stuff didn’t showcase that talent appropriately. The intention is obvious as an homage to the form that brought these men into music, but does political punk rock require a retardation of instrumental abilities? No Salvation argues otherwise.

No Salvation is a record for those interested in something beyond a rhythm section that’s just a shelf for the guitar and the voice. The lyrics are pissed. The production is an open wound, giving you all the festering details in a dirty way that only Kurt Ballou and God City Studios can provide. The liner art is all black and white photocopied post-apocalypse, filled out with skulls and warheads. This album is everything great about punk without acting as in insult to one’s appreciation of higher musical aspirations. Coliseum knows their history, but more importantly, they know where this music can and should be going.

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Posted by choke on 2008-02-17 11:35:18

i think i can agree with the comment about the recording...Chris Owens knows how to make a punk/"hardcore" album sound great...all the Lords shit, Ed Gein, Black Cross, HWHG, Pheonix Bodies, Rattletooth...all that shit has this raw, stripped down sound that captures the essence of what a good punk album is...

Posted by xfourninetwox on 2008-02-04 23:25:53

oh i forgot, the re-recordings of white religion and skyline fucker aren't as urgent and powerful as the originals.

Posted by xfourninetwox on 2008-02-04 23:24:17
My Score:

the only thing i disagree with is the opinion that this record sounds better than the others. i feel this sound doesn't match the coliseum we knew and love. goddamage is the perfect coliseum sound and record. don't get me wrong, i love this record but i think the 'boston' sounding recording doesn't work for them. i think they need to make killyourmamama music again.

Posted by choke on 2007-10-15 14:51:23

their drummer is fucking insane

Posted by choke on 2007-10-15 14:49:52

this is probably the best coliseum has done thus far

Posted by elephantdwarf on 2007-10-12 02:30:25

"Never thought I'd find myself saying this, but... really good first line of the review."

there's a missing comma in the sentence. grammar police, motherfucker!

Posted by Archangel on 2007-10-11 22:48:29

Never thought I'd find myself saying this, but... really good first line of the review.

Posted by punkgato on 2007-10-11 16:36:03

Awesome...awesome...awesome!!! This record houses just about everything released this year...it's that good!

Posted by elliot on 2007-10-10 10:46:07
My Score:

Glad to see this getting a great review. Easily their best album yet. Coliseum owns!!!

Posted by Kursk on 2007-10-09 17:16:40
My Score:

the new black cross has been out for a couple of months now, it's really good, possibly my favorite stuff from them. That said Ryan Patterson in Black Cross is much better than Ryan Patterson in Coliseum. There are a lot of keepers on "No Salvation" (White Religion, Interceptor, Defeater, Funeral Line, and Fall of the Pigs are the ones that come to my mind) but it just doesn't seem as solid of an effort as the new Black Cross. No Salvation is still pretty good, above aerage motorhead meets black flag hardcore but it seems tp me like it was pretty hastily thrown together and I think it could have been better. Here's to the next one though.

Posted by DrGunn on 2007-10-09 15:34:13

when are we getting that new black cross record?

Posted by elephantdwarf on 2007-10-09 14:27:05

and young widows/breather resist(rip)

Posted by miniblindbandit on 2007-10-09 14:10:06

Coliseum and the Lords are definitely the saviours of the Lousville music scene. Black Cross is awesome too.