LOCRIAN
Drenched Lands
(At War With False Noise)

TWEAK BIRD
Reservations
(Volcom)

GOES CUBE
Another Day Has Passed
(The End)

TO THE BONE
Against the Dead Hand
(Rosemont)

SUNNO)))
Monoliths & Dimensions
(Southern Lord)

METALUCIFER
Heavy Metal Bulldozer

(R.I.P.)

KUOLEMA
Viinaa Aineita Naisia 2001-2008

(Lady Lasol)

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What a shame. Nice digipack. Cool artwork. On the surface it seems like a good investment but what matters is the music and To The Bone don’t pull it off. To start with this album suffers of subpar production. Frankly, it sounds like Against the Dead Hand was recorded back in the early 90’s. It’s got one of those early 90’s demo sounds that struggles to achieve any power. In other words, even though this is a recent recording it already sounds dated. And the songs do confirm that alt-rock quality that is so 1993. In a fantasy world this album would have fit uncomfortably in the musical panorama of about fifteen years ago, but even then, the quality of the material included here wouldn’t allow it.

Soundwise, the guitar is distorted but the sound is so weak you won’t even notice you are listening to aggressive music. But that’s the good part. Guitarist Nick Bohensky can actually play. Too bad the material of this album doesn’t showcase his abilities better. In fact, the best parts of this album are his solo bits, but the dude keeps ‘em brief and to the point. One riff that totally blows is the nu metal-tinged on “Your Day is Coming to an End”. Man, the stuff is hideous. It’s so bad it reminds of what would be a throwaway riff from a mediocre band like Primer 55, or something like that.

But what sucks the most about this recording is the songs, which are in parts ambitious and overwrought with tasteless arrangements. “Left to Rot” starts alright, like a semi ballad, but it quickly takes a dive for the worst. And that’s a song that is partly OK, most of the songs start badly, continue poorly, and end horribly.

Topping it off are the cheesy lyrics and the one dimensional vocals of Jeff Bridi. I’ve said before that I don’t care about lyrics, but some of this stuff would make Bret Michaels blush. Therefore, I can barely stand it. Like on “Give it the Gas”, which is, you guess it, about driving really fast.  The question is, is To The Bone running away from good music? Apparently so. Because there is only one redeemable quality to this band’s effort, and that’s that the album doesn’t go on forever.

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