Comeback Kid

Once again I have the pleasure of taking on a live CD/DVD, a strange conundrum for a reviewer. Robbed of the structuring and attention to detail available in a studio recording and the passion associated with taking in a live show, a live album/DVD essentially offers the worst of both realms, and yet there’s still something intriguing about the package to fans and newcomers alike.

Through The Noise is packed with content, which shouldn’t leave anyone complaining. The audio side of the disc contains 17 live tracks – which any CBK fan would tell you is a hell of a setlist – recorded during one of the band’s European dates at the end of 2007. The DVD features video from the same show, along with an hour-long documentary called “Our Distance” that spans the band’s entire career, and videos for “Broadcasting” and the monstrous “Wake The Dead.”

The documentary accomplishes what it humbly could’ve set out to by offering fans a closer look into the workings of a great band, while openly captivating wanderers with in-depth interviews and some great footage from some of the many corners of the world the band has traveled. That said, Through The Noise’s real value is in the live set.

As I previously stated, the band is set against somewhat of a handicap considering their brand of crushingly intense hardcore is a dish best served live underneath a pile of kids competing for a moment on the microphone. Luckily, the production value of the audio is such that you’re able to fully imagine yourself there, which is the next best thing to actually being there. Andrew Neufeld’s vocal intensity is strong enough that it’s not only able to carry the audio-only CD component, but also works wonders on the DVD. Furthering the package’s success is the fact that the band performs as well as one could hope for.

The footage is sharp and diverse, meaning though you’re not granted the in-the-flesh live perspective, you are given a very round omniscient view of a CBK show, which is unique in itself and for the most part satisfying. The band puts it all on the line with a passion to which fans have become accustomed. Add this to a setlist that includes some favourite cuts from Turn It Around, Wake The Dead, and Broadcasting…, and you’ve got a very successful live DVD.

Try blasting “All In A Year,” which features guest vocals from This Is Hell’s Rich Jimenez, or the classic set closer “Wake The Dead,” during which it’s easy to spot some stage diving Cancer Bats, without rocking your head in the living room. I’ll bet you can’t, and therein lies the verdict on CBK’s most recent offering. It’s no substitute for a live show, and things may not be as crisp through the headphones as one of the band’s three LPs, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t great for the unique experience it is – a third person look at CBK, both onstage and off.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. False Idols Fall
02. Die Tonight
03. Broadcasting…
04. Partners In Crime
05. Changing Face
06. Industry Standards
07. Defeated
08. All In A Year
09. Step Ahead
10. Talk Is Cheap
11. The Trouble I Love
12. Hailing On Me
13. Our Distance
14. Lorelei
15. Wake The Dead
16. Give’r (Reprise)
17. Final Goodbye

Run Time: 46:12