Review Summary: Post-hardcore that draws on perfection rather than originality.
Frodus was a late '90s hardcore act that is often given credit for spawning the term "spazzcore". As time went by it seemed like the band members overindulged on a bit too much "The Shape of Punk To Come" and Nation Of Ulysses, as their last release "And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea" clearly demonstrates. Building on the heavily rhythmic hardcore Refused left in its breakup, Frodus is able to build on a progressive idea that was brought to life in the late '90s. While other comparisons could be drawn to Fugazi and At the Drive-in (The other two big names in post-hardcore), Frodus lacks the "bounce" that both of these bands possessed. I guess the main difference I see between Frodus and bands like Fugazi and At the Drive-in is the fact that the music seems a lot more calculated and lifeless. Instead of drawing from the more emotional realms of hardcore, Frodus seems to have been pushing their brand of post-hardcore into the realm of math rock (which is evident in tracks such as "There Will Be No More Scum").
"And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea" seems to have no real flaws besides the lack of originality. Granted, Frodus isn't playing something that has been played to death like say, Black Flag's form of hardcore, but you can easily relate their music to a few select bands in the realm of post-hardcore and clearly cut their sound into what elements they are borrowing from the other bands. Touches of originality drip into the album in the instrumentals of tracks like "Out-Circuit the Ending", which focus on beautiful clean guitar playing. Also the bands' delving into more electronic sounds is far more interesting than Refused's on their magnum opus as "Hull Crush Depth" clearly demonstrates. Basically, Frodus is a band that had excellent taste and the ability to co-join some of their favorite parts of their favorite bands. It's a valiant effort from a generation that grew up in the shadow of Fugazi and like-minded endeavors.
I'd recommend this album to basically anyone that has any familiarity with hardcore because it is a great perspective on the genre. Also if you do happen to enjoy it, I suggest you check out the band The Murder of Rosa Luxemburg as they've basically taken Frodus's style on this album and pushed it to the brink of what it can be. This is an excellent album and besides its short-coming in the realm of originality it is nearly flawless post-hardcore.
