Strike Anywhere - Chorus of One EP
Jade Tree Records, Released in 2001
Many of you have probably heard Strike Anywhere, the revolutionary melodic hardcore punk band from Richmond, VA. "Chorus of One" was their first full length (?) EP (After the Fat Club 7", which only had Asleep and Antidote on it, if I'm not mistaken). And what a f
ucking insane EP it is. It definately has more variety then their next release, "Change is a Sound". "Chorus of One" is just 6 tracks, 17 minutes of crazy classic Strike Anywhere stuff. They sound a lot like Rise Against and A Wilhelm Scream. Definately what you should check out if you havent heard Strike Anywhere, or if you are a Strike Anywhere fan, and havent heard this, well, get it!!!
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Track by Track Analysis:
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1. Chorus of One (2:34) - 4.5/5
Chorus of One was the first song i heard off the album, and i was sucked in right from the first time Barnett screams "To live in discontent!". This song has one of the catchiest choruses i have heard in any SA song. Definately a really good song, but not the best on the album.
2. Question the Answer (3:39) - 4/5
This song is pretty good. Its a very hard, angry song. A little more obvious about things in the lyrics than other SA songs, but nonetheless a very good song. It gets a little boring towards the middle/end, but its still not a track I skip.
3. Incendiary (2:23) - 5/5
Wow. Definately my favorite song on the album. It has such a good flow to it and it never quits throughout the whole song. And you gotta love that bridge where Barnett just repeats "Leave their power unfilled". Very good basswork in this song, which is one of the main reasons i got hooked on the song. The ending just blows you away. It just goes insane with perfect backing vocals "No! No!". Definately the highlight of the album.
4. Earthbound (1:09) - 3/5
Meh. This song is okay, but its definately the least appealing song off the album. I like the bridge, the "Whoa"s are pretty good. but this song really just ends so quickly that you think that there will be a lot more, and this song really left me wanting more.
5. Notes on Pulling the Sky Down (3:48) - 5/5
Another excellent song off this album. It's really a semi-slow song, as it starts acoustic, and keeps the acoustic going in many parts of the song. The song goes really hard, then the bridge comes, and it slows down again. This bridge is definately one of the best ones in Stirke Anywhere history. And then, before you know it, it blows up in your face and goes nuts. Very good song.
6. Cassadratic Equation (3:14) 3.5/5
This song is OK. It's not as great as sone of the other songs on the album, but it still gets the job done. Its got a very good message in the lyrics, though, which is the highpoint of the song. The instruments get, may I say it, a bit poppy towards the middle. The back-up vocals are pretty bad. they dont flow well with the song. Not the best end to the album, but alright.
Final Thoughts/Rating:
"Chorus of One" is definately the most impressive EP I have heard from any band. I listen to it daily. I suggest it to anyone who is a fan of hardcore punk, or just rock in general. Or, if you are trying to get into a good punk band, Strike Anywhere is definately the best choice. They are all very talented musicians, not to mention one of the best bands in punk right now :thumb:
PROS: Awesome bridges, very good bass lines and guitar riffs in the bridges. And, as always, Barnett can come up with some of the best lyrics in punk today.
CONS: Can get a little repetitive in a few of their songs, but thats not much of a problem at all. Poppy riffs at times.
MY FINAL RATING: 4.5/5
w00t, my first review.
