Review Summary: The Classic Struggle’s debut album, Feel Like Hell, is a very straightforward album. The album is unrelenting with up-tempo riffs and skull crushing breakdowns. They aren’t the most original by any means, but they’ve been successful in creating an
The Classic Struggle is a five-piece band hailing from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The line-up is Tim Zlinsky on vocals, Tyler Solnosky playing drums, Justin Blakey at bass, and Chris Grant and Brandon Collins both shredding guitar. The group as a whole was heavily influenced by both American and European thrash metal. While they consider themselves a mix of metal, thrash, and hardcore; some would raise an argument that they are edging towards death metal.
Feel Like Hell, The Classic Struggle’s debut album, is unrelenting in its aggression and ferociousness. The 56 minute album simply lacks a dull moment, which is impressive by all means. Since the album is almost an hour long you could expect to get bored, which is completely false by all means. Throughout the entirety of the album you gain a sense of completeness from each and every song. At no point and time will you be thinking a song wasn’t long enough seeing that the shortest song is 3:19. The average song time is just under and outstanding five minutes. At all times there is either a fast riff or punishing breakdown stealing you attention. Even though some of the riffs aren’t the most original and become some what repetitive, they are as catchy as anything. For the breakdowns, well if you don’t bang you head you simply don’t have metal in you veins.
The album starts of with an unforgiving breakdown that rattles you bones. After about 75 seconds the song takes a slow turn into its first riff. After repeating this same riff four times, a solid scream reintroduces one repetition of the original breakdown/intro. From there the first song, Death March, continues on to give you a small, yet delicious taste of what to expect throughout the rest of the album.
From there on the album continues to attack you with some of the most relentless
drumming and shredding your ears ever had the pleasure of dwelling on. Both the guitarist are successful in writing catchy riffs, brutal breakdowns, and smooth transitions from one to the other. On the other hand you have the drummer, Tyler Solnosky, using blast beats and what is now the standard double-bass for most bands in the genre. Throughout the rest of the album there are multiple notable riffs and breakdowns. It’s almost impossible to pick a favorite breakdown seeing that each and everyone are equally amazing. A notable riff on the other hand would definitely come from the sixth song titled Unsacred. Although the riff isn’t exactly original, it will catch you ear in a heartbeat at about a minute and forty-five seconds into the song.
Vocally, Tim Zlinsky has the scream most metal screamers dream of. It is as solid as any scream out there. As he uses his high pitched scream for the majority of the songs, he saves his outstanding lows for the bone shattering breakdowns. Lyrically, each song has a meaning and/or symbolizes something. For the most part the address the usually points that metal bands address such as fighting, life, faith, and death. Regardless, the lyrics actually have some sort of rhyme scheme unlike the usual free verse style used in modern day metal.
Another important note you should keep in mind is that the album came out about two years ago (almost to date). While standards for the average metal album have risen, this album is still enjoyable and entertaining. After all this fine piece of work did land them a spot on tour with Slipknot, As I Lay Dying, and Unearth, which are all metal powerhouses(even though I hate Slipknot).
