Stick to Your Guns “Disobedient” Album Review
Stick To Your Guns have quite the rowdy and dedicated following. Along with Stray From The Path they are advocates against police brutality in the most punk kind of way. Their message has been the same over the past few albums, wanting the mindset of hardcore to try and find inner peace within themselves. This is backed by the quotes from Ghandi laced within their latest release Disobedient.
Not much of the formula this band have made successful changes on this record. One noticeable difference is how much more the clean vocals make appearances in songs. The first three tracks feature clean vocals in the chorus, making for some catchy songs but at times I want less of the melodic side and more of the raw and breakneck hardcore riffs. Thankfully, ‘RMA (Revolutionary Mental Attitude)’ comes through with one of the filthiest breakdowns around 55 seconds into the track.
Nothing against the use of clean vocals, but in my opinion the pace of the songs usually slow down as well, which help people sing along but ‘What Choice Did You Give Us?’ started off bursting through the gates but loss some stride as the clean vocals melted in with a simple chord progression. ‘To Whom It May Concern’ shows just how melodic Stick To Your Guns can be, letting Jesse scream his entire way through the emotional track while the speed is less intense, really driving the track home.
Tracklist
1. It Starts With me
2. What Choice Did You Give Us?
3. Nobody
4. RMA (Revolutionary Mental Attitude)
5. Nothing You Can Do To Me
6. To Whom It May Concern
7. The Crown
8. I Choose No One
9. Disobedient
10. The War Inside
11. Left You Behind
‘I Choose No One’ features the speech from Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator which was already used by The Chariot but that is not the point, the song is another highlight with fury being pounded out by the drums and absolutely visceral vocals by Jesse and guest vocalist Scott Vogel from the almighty Terror. ‘The War Inside’ builds on some thrash influences and mix it well with their melodic hardcore. This is one track I think the clean vocals fit the overall tone of the track.
Closing track ‘Left You Behind’ features acoustic guitars and a string section to tell the story of a young man leaving home and beginning his own journey. Stick To Your Guns really delivered on having a soft closer with a nice introspective view embedded into the lyrics. Disobedient is itself a solid album, but at times I find myself a little tired of the same formula of metalcore being washed out. Thankfully this band can bring the heavy sides of the genre with a fiery passion. The album was released on February 11th, 2015 through Sumerian Records.
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
Related Posts
Best of 2024: from Ricky Frankel →
PHOTOS: Mac Sabbath Celebrates 10 Years alongside Guttermouth and Angry Samoans →
State Champs Release Self-Titled Album Today →
