In 2001, Crime in Stereo was simply a relative unknown in the myriad of punk and hardcore bands that filled out the scene in their home of Long Island, New York. After playing shows and releasing a demo, the band began to take on bigger shows with the likes of bands such as Bane, the Hope Conspiracy, and Kill Your Idols, among others. A burgeoning friendship with the latter led to a split with Kill Your Idols, released on Blackout! Records in 2003. The band followed shortly thereafter with their full-length debut for Blackout!/Brightside Records, Explosives and the Will to Use Them, in early 2004.
Fast forward to 2005. The band released the aptly titled The Contract, their last for Blackout!, and signed to Dexter Holland's Nitro Records. With the band finding a new home, and working on an upcoming full-length, they have released Fuel. Transit. Sleep., a teaser EP to hold us all over.
On Fuel. Transit. Sleep., Crime in Stereo continue to effortlessly pump out some of the best melodic hardcore heard in years. "Slow Math" opens up this EP, diving headfirst into the song with a well-executed, intricate lead. The band strongly resembles Fat Wreck Chords band Strike Anywhere here, especially in the delivery of the chorus, and that isn't a bad thing.
The band shows their frustration with the current crop of interchangeable carbon copy "emo-core" bands being sought after by so many labels in "I'm on the Guestlist, Motherfucker." The lyric "So put a big black sticker on the front that says âFor Fans Of'" appears to be a jab at labels who incessantly market their bands to music fans by namedropping whatever bands are hot right in the middle of the front cover.
"When the Women Come Out to Dance," the closing song on the EP, sounds like it could have been an outtake from the Explosives⦠sessions. With pounding drums and a relentless guitar attack featuring some of the catchy leads the band is known for, this track, and the whole EP in general, shows Crime in Stereo at their best, continuing to perfect the art of melodic hardcore.
In 2005 and beyond, there's melodic hardcore bands, and then there's Crime in Stereo.
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