Solar Bear – “Captains of Industry” [EP]

Apparently Denver is a hotbed for aggressive punk music – understandably so, because I think we’d all be a little pissed off if we lived in a State best known as the setting of South Park – and Solar Bear are no exception to that tradition of strong punk/hardcore acts. With their new EP Captains of Industry they hope to carve their own niche in a tightly packed scene by offering something familiar with a unique spin. It’s partly punk, partly metal, partly blah, blah, blah… but it’s mostly a tense, dissonant and energetic album. It’s well produced, it’s well written, and it’s pretty nicely executed.

It’s not a show stopper by any means, so don’t get too excited, but it mixes strong grooves with sharp guitars and displays some typical hardcore screams alongside more standard vocals. The pace of the EP is a little disappointing; every build up crescendos nicely but the songs all seem to move along too comfortably. Much of the album might not work at a faster speed, but at times it seems to beg for a higher BPM.

It’s also hard to be too harsh on the EP because song titles like “Kafka Roaches” and “Good For Nothing Misfit Mothers” are completely badass. Listen to these guys if you get a chance and you’ll be impressed by a dynamic that’s intelligently restrained and an energy that’s visceral when it’s unleashed.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Logical Fallacy
02. The Endless Choir
03. Mr. Iconoclastic vs. The Captains of Industry
04. Kafka Roaches
05. Eating Disorders
06. Good For Nothing Misfit Mothers

Run Time: 34.16
Release Date: 08.17.2010