Them boys from up yonder in Virginny sure can rock that heavy metal, boss. Yessir. *spit*Formed out of Northern Virginia a few years ago, and featuring a sound honed by relentless touring, In Alcatraz 1962 is a band that should do well on any modern metal tour (Vans Warped, Jaegermeister, et al). Their aggression is matched deftly with the tightness you'd expect from a group of serious-minded headbangers in songs that are aspirational as well as resigned - which I like, quite frankly. I'm a little tired of the whole nihilistic spirit that pervades most metal. Yeah, it's metal so we don't want to sound like a bunch of pussies, but if life's so damned tedious and depressing in its supposed meaninglessness, why even bother trying to make a living as an artist at all rather than just eating a gun? I mean, come on. Show a little backbone, will ya?
Luckily, the boys in In Alcatraz 1962, having eschewed that familiar rhetoric, can draw on their many influences to make some rocking energetic tunes on this debut about committment and The Drive to succeed. (America, fuck yeah!)
I dig the production on this album, courtesy of Don DeBiase at Studio D Productions (Modern Day Escape, Along Came A Spider, Vanilla Ice). This is a common complaint I have against inaugural releases from most metal bands trying to capture their road-honed sound with a new producer and what is likely their first time in a real studio. I think the band's years of live experience has clearly had a positive effect on their sound and I would love to catch them here in Houston some time. You might wanna do the same in your town.
Tracks That Make You Want to Plan Your Next Live Show: The Fatal Flaw, Over These Years, Winter Sun
The Bottom Line: Good old-fashioned American metal from a band that's earned their sound and a chance at a profitable career through hard work and committment. How's that for an American success story?
- Genghis is *this* close to moshing around the office...