Dogwood

Item: More Than Conquerors
Author: Doug Van Pelt

More Than Conquerors

(1999)

Reviewed by Doug Van Pelt

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Label Tooth & Nail RecordsHM Magazine #78July 1999

pop punk punk skate punk

I've been a fan of this band's hooky punk music since seeing them live at Tomfest a few years ago. There's a sense of joy that emanates from the vocals of Josh, which is backed up by memorable rhythms and a solid beat.

They take the urgency found in hardcore and make it pop enough to attract the chicks. While not questioning the band's motives (I'm just joking!), the infectious pop hooks put the band right in the pop punk arena; but, like genre giants MxPx, they put enough originality into it to stand far above the crowd of pop punk MxPx wanna-be's. Russell's drumming is fantastic, the guitars are crisp and tightly synchronized with the bassist and drummer, and the gang gets involved in the BGV's every once in a while (like "My Best Year") and adds the obligatory "ah-oh's." And, if you want metal, baby, check out the chugging riffology found in "The Pain Is Gone." It's not too distant from the recent arena rock dabblings of Offspring. But I'll take the Dogwood style found in "Suffer" and "Confusion Zero" any day. This band rules!

Lyrically, you can find a band of real people dealing with real life, but instead of leaving it there, they say "We Cry Victory" and agree with Scripture that believers are "More Than Conquerors."

Fans of the band's Through Thick & Thin will snatch this release up like a reunion hug from a dear friend. Those that haven't heard this band before need to invest in their entire four-disc catalog, starting with More Than Conquerors.