Comeback Kid - Die Knowing (2014) [Gorgatz]

Comeback Kid - Die Knowing (2014) [Gorgatz]



- I N F O -

Die Knowing’ is the new album by Canadian hardcore band Comeback Kid. It’s the band’s fifth album, and their first since 2010’s ‘Symptoms + Cures’. They have a longstanding reputation for delivering unrelenting but melodic hardcore punk of varying quality over the years, often sounding fresh and original, but sometimes falling into the formulaic Victory Records sound. They don’t do much here to mix things up – it’s safe to say that when you buy a Comeback Kid record in 2014, you know what you’re going to get, but that doesn’t mean they don’t do it well.
The title track, ‘Die Knowing’, opens up the album with a single, palm muted guitar fading in, with a gradual introduction of the full band. Andrew Neufeld comes in with a clear, throaty scream alongside low key drum hits, giving the album an understated, mid tempo start that builds to an intense climax. ‘Lower The Line’ is almost the direct opposite, a quick assault that puts all of its cards on the table straight away. The contrast is effective, and while both songs are fairly standard hardcore affair, they show that the band aren’t satisfied with choosing one style and sticking with it, something a band over 10 years into their career might be tempted to do.
This is the first album that the band have produced themselves, after receiving co-production credits on their last two, and they’ve done a good job. Every instrument sounds great, especially the bass chugging along with a warm fuzz sound under the guitars, which usually gets buried in this style of music. The songs are short, rarely reaching three minutes. This means that they don’t outstay their welcome and the clichéd hardcore breakdowns never become too repetitive.
‘Beyond’ has some nice gang vocal ‘woah’s that add another dimension to the music, and a cool break of just bass and drums midway through that helps to keep things interesting. ‘Unconditional’ follows, featuring some melodic guitar parts that elevate it to an album highlight. ‘Didn’t Even Mind’ has a much more traditional punk sound, the vocals dial back the screaming, and the guitars offer more melodic and textured riffs. This album really comes to life over the last five tracks.
Original vocalist Scott Wade features on penultimate track ‘Full Swing’, with Wade and Neufeld trading verses, most likely inspired by Wade‘s brief stint back with the band last year to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their debut album, ‘Turn It Around’. (It would be too easy to make a joke about Wade being the comeback kid). Neufeld comes across as the stronger vocalist, but fans will appreciate the song all the same for the nostalgia, its only downside being its brief 1:56 runtime. By contrast, album closer ‘Sink In’ is the longest track here, breaking the four minute barrier. The gang vocals in the chorus provide the most melodic singing of the album, helping to end things on a high note.
‘Die Knowing‘ opens well, but doesn’t really come alive again until the last five tracks, where Comeback Kid show they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Both new and old fans should be satisfied with what’s on offer here, but might be disappointed the band didn’t take a few more risks at this point of their career.

Not many bands stick around for five or six years, but Comeback Kid is one that just doesn't give up. Comeback Kid has been around for about 14 years and has released four studio albums to date. It's been four years since the last album, but now the band is ready to unveil what it has been up to since then. This mystery happens to be Die Knowing, which is to be released on March 4 through Victory Records. This Canadian five-piece hardcore band from Winnipeg, MB., has been dormant but now has a monster of an album to wake up with.

The first track, the title track, is simply an intro that sets the mood for the entire album. There isn't much in regards to technicality going on, but the heavy chugs and passionate screams are a good indicator of what's to come for the next half hour. The entire album is divided between old-school Comeback Kid and the sounds of the newer releases – or sometimes even a mix of both. Most of the first half, including tracks such as "Lower the Line," "Losing Sleep" and "Somewhere In This Miserable...," all draw a lot of influence from New York-style hardcore and is mixed with the band's sound from Symptoms + Cures. Other tracks such as "Should Know Better," "Unconditional" and "Didn't Even Mind" are all tracks that will throw you back to the Wake the Dead days with melodic guitar riffs, catchy choruses and a ton of gang chants.

In regards to the music, the tone and production of Die Knowing is spot on. As I mentioned earlier, the guitar work is very similar to New York-style hardcore with lots of chugging followed by short bursts of intense riffage to keep the blood flowing; however, this isn't all Comeback Kid has to offer. On certain tracks, such as "Unconditional" and "Sink In," there are melodic riffs to break up the consistent chugging. The drumming on Die Knowing isn't spectacular or technical, but it gets the job done and sounds great, so there isn't anything to complain about. This album isn't without its surprises, though, as the second to last track features guest vocals from none other than the original vocalist of Comeback Kid, who – not surprisingly – sounds great in the track.

Altogether, Comeback Kid has created a solid, enjoyable album. While there is absolutely nothing new or original here, it is still worth the listen – or twenty. If you enjoyed any of the albums that the band has released, then you will certainly find something on Die Knowing that you will enjoy. Even if you have never listened to Comeback Kid before, this is an excellent album to start with. The tracks that you need to listen to are "Should Know Better" and "Didn't Even Mind." Be sure to check out Comeback Kid on the upcoming album release tour (with Backtrack, Xibalba, Downpresser and To the Wind) and support the band if you like what you hear.

The third album from Canadian hardcoregroup Comeback Kid with Andrew Neufeld is their best yet, but not their most spectacular. Neufeld has grown immensely since Broadcasting, on the titular first track he spits full of venom and showcases his new found vocal range while also serving as sort of an intro to the album. And for everyone who still clings on to former vocalist Wade, the song ‘Full Swing’ features both singers and clearly sees Neufeld as the superior.

But there is another important element to the sound of Die Knowing. The band has gone into a more metallic direction, almost completely doing away with their hardcorepunk infused songs that brought the group their first succes. Tucked at the back of the album a few of these tunes spring up, lightening the darker metallic mood. ‘Sink In’ is one of the best songs, but doesn’t really come to full light as a closer.

- T R A C K L I S T -

01. Die Knowing
02. Lower The Line
03. Wasted Arrows
04. Losing Sleep (feat. Pauly Correia)
05. Should Know Better
06. I Depend, I Control
07. Somewhere In This Miserable...
08. Beyond
09. Unconditional
10. Didn't Even Mind
11. Full Swing (feat. Scott Wade)
12. Sink In

Format: mp3, CBR 192 kbps
Genre: Hardcore
Size: 44.70 MB