Ladies and gents, I'm really excited to share this one with you tonight. I've had it in my inbox for quite some time now, and I am finally able to give it the attention it deserves. What happens when you mix alt-punk and metal, with just a sprinkling of new-wave? Well, out of spite, I'm not gonna tell you. Okay, that was a cheap joke. But it was right there, I had to do it.
A couple songs in, and it is very clear to me who they remind me of. Take your favorite classic Cali punk band, such as NOFX or Bad Religion (pre-90s BR) and put them in a bed with current hard rock band Budderside. Give it about 9 months, and you'd end up with Out Of Spite. The album opener reminded me a little of The Knack as well. Not strongly, but just a little. I know I've said this before, but the songs on this record fit right in with the soundtracks of the Tony Hawk games. And if he were to make a new one, I would want to see one of these thrown into the mix.
Admittedly, I was into their sound from the get-go. Each subsequent track added new flavors and variety. While I was immediately into their new take on modern punk rock, it was their eponymous theme song that really threw me for a loop. There are horns, even a dubstep interlude. (Remember dubstep??) I hated it back then, but I do think it has its uses. It's a fun inclusion here, but I am really glad it's not in every track. Punk-rock-ska-step just seems like a lot to take in, doesn't it? But it makes for a fun, danceable-yet-angsty headbanger here.
For some good old-fashioned punk chanting, or chant-punk if you're down to clown, check out the track "Carnival of Chaos." The layered vocals create a really cool effect here, even though all of the layers are just one guy (it is a one-man-band, after all) Spite still achieves the sound one looks for in punk flavored harmonies. Each voice is delivering the same (or similar) vocals, but it slightly different pitches, with the timing off on a couple just to keep things interesting. It's actually brilliant in its sloppiness, as it encourages listeners to chant along and feel like one of the band, rather than an audience member. This effect continues in other tracks, including the aggressive ska-inspired "The People I've Met."
There is a very consistent sound throughout the entirety of the record, and for a debut record I have to say that it shows quite a bit of promise. The artist sold himself to me as an "eclectic dance rock band," and while that is mostly accurate, I feel that is selling himself short. There's so much more going on here. It's more like eclectic-dance-ska-punk-rock that experiments with dubstep on rare occasion. While the dubstep was a fun addition, I believe the artist should direct his attention to the hard percussion, groovy bass and wild riffs featured in the tracks. I don't know where the artist drew his inspiration from, but it's working.
An open letter to Out Of Spite:
Embrace the punk, dude. It's WORKING for you. There's tons of good shit from the 80s to late 90s to draw inspiration from. For ska influence, I highly recommend The Interrupters. Cheers my friend, Synic.
Better Late Than Never - Out Of Spite
9 - 30 - 2020
1. The Hype
2. Serene Solanum
3. Out Of Spite
4. Carnival Of Chaos
5. The People I've Met
6. Gave It All Away
7. Past Dreams
Favorite Track: Gave It All Away
Least Favorite Track: The Hype
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