One of Christian music's more prolific acts, The Blamed are back with their fourth album, and the familiar hardcore sound is back, with a few new metal riffs and some awesome drumming moving The Blamed closer to new-school hardcore. While the music is fast and furious, the lyrics add even more punch as they speak on subjects as diverse as the beating death of Matthew Shepard and as controversial as the death penalty. Take a look at "Pistol Whipped":
You never learned right from wrong
Ignorance is a much easier recourse
I refuse to ignore the hostility marked by injustice...
You made a martyr from a broken man...
and "Beyond Your Passion In His Passion":
In this land of eye for an eye no one sees
Who I've become the one they want to kill
Died long ago I am just an image to them
Far beyond their penalty they say they're innocent
And I am guilty a liability in their economy...
While The Blamed's lineup changes almost as fast as Van Halen's, you have to admire them for continuing to put out music, longevity being almost nonexistent in the Christian music market. New vocalist Matt Switaj handles the mic well, his throaty shouts melding with the fast pace of the music. Songs such as "To Change" showcase the intensity of the band perfectly, from the gang vocals to the meant-for-moshing guitar groove. The song "4-20-99" could have been a standout song, except the metallic riffing drowns out the Celtic sounding female guest vocalist.
Equipped with solid production, wide-ranging song topics, and good musicianship from all involved, The Blamed have yet again put out a solid CD. While the songs aren't all that different in structure from one another, they're all tight. And the drumming of Jim Chaffin and Lance Garvin is so good, they could carry the album by themselves.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #79Reviewed by David BixlerWell, Brian Grey and company have released another CD as The Blamed. This CD is a big change from their earlier Tooth & Nail albums, and after the disappointment of Again..., Forever comes as a very pleasant and refreshing surprise. Most people would recognize the Blamed as a hardcore, thrashy punk band. Though these elements are evident on this album, they don't dominate as much as they did on…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Josh SpencerYou never know what to expect from the ever-changing Blamed, and Forever is no exception. They've pulled a switchback, slamming to a halt somewhere between the basic East Coast hardcore of last year's Against and the thrashfest of 1995's Frail. And it's their best yet, a perfect fusion of classic hardcore shout-singing, updated '80s thrash riffing (check the slowed-down old-skool Metallica moves…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Josh MarihughThe Blamed has added a new member for this project, Matt Switaj. Like frontman Brian Grey and bassist Jeff Locke, Switaj is a member of the Jesus People USA community in Chicago, and he plays guitar and handles much of the lead vocals on this project. Someone new on lead vocals could have been a disaster, but Matt and Brian mix rather well. The Blamed's longtime drummer, Jim Chaffin (who also…Similar sounding releases
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