Stray From The Path – “Subliminal Criminals” [Album Review]

I’m only thirty-odd seconds into “Outbreak,” the second track off the new album from Long Island hardcore terrors Stray From The Path, and already they’ve got me screaming along to the “fuck this system” mantra like a lunatic. Sounding like a swarm of angry wasps covering Rage Against The Machine and One Minute Silence songs, Subliminal Criminals is that fucking angry!

Stray From The Path sound full of fury, pent-up anger, and utter frustration and it’s all bubbling over inside some mammoth grooves on Subliminal Criminals. From Government corruption to rich white kids to police brutality, Subliminal Criminals is a record that pulls no punches when it comes to delivering its hard-hitting messages. Wrapping those blunt messages in a soundtrack of rap, metal, hip-hop and hardcore, these Long Island maulers have delivered one of the angriest, most vicious records I’ve heard in a long time.

Each track is a tense, volatile affair but, when it comes to particular highlights, look no further than “First World Problem Child,” a song which sees the band joined by Architects frontman Sam Carter for three minutes of fuck-you raging while, further along the album, “D.I.E.P.I.G” again leaves you in no doubt as to SFTP’s message but, with that title, what were you expecting?

The album crashes to an end with the diverse yet still raging “These Things Have To Fall Apart”, three and a half minutes which sees the metallic hardcore outfit sign off one of the most crushing records of the year with their middle fingers raised firmly in the air.

Track Listing:

01. The New Gods
02. Outbreak
03. Badge & A Bullet Part II
04. First World Problem Child
05. Shots Fired
06. Eavesdropper
07. D.I.E.P.I.G.
08. Future Of Sound
09. Time Bomb
10. Snap
11. These Things Have To Fall Apart

Run Time: 33:01
Release Date: August 14, 2015

Check out the track “First World Problem Child” here.