An all-too-long five years after their debut EP, "Legalize Crime", Outlaw Order (whose lineup includes every current member of Eyehategod but Jimmy Bower) finally returns with their first full-length outing in "Dragging Down the Enforcer" (released by Season of Mist). Not surprisingly the nine tracks (bookended by two additional high-quality experimental noise pieces) clock in at a little under a half-hour total and bear quite a resemblance to the dingy sludge of the almighty Eyehategod—just given a hint more of a hardcore/punk undercurrent, which leads to consistently shorter songs that almost never top three minutes. I honestly hate to compare them so heavily to Eyehategod, but... shit, what can you do? The performances are a touch more controlled, as is the recording, but you've still got plenty of sinisterly surging basslines, dissonant sludge grooves, winding rhythms, bursts of driving power chords, and of course Mike Williams' immediately recognizable snarls 'n' sneers. I guess it's the first pressing of the CD which comes in a pretty slick embossed metal box, but to my disappointment the artwork's kinda weak (not to mention that no lyrics are included). Don't get me wrong, the cover looks cool, and there's one or two panels elsewhere that have a solid aesthetic to 'em, but... I was expecting something more along the lines of Eyehategod's old school cut and paste vibe. Instead, well... let's just say that when you try to go for that same type of feel using computers, it just doesn't work out right. No big deal, though, as the music certainly delivers, and should indeed please the vast majority of Eyehategod fans out there—and probably even some who could never quite appreciate Eyehategod's slightly looser, dirtier, and more feedback-soaked take on this particular style.
Outlaw Order "Siege Mentality"
Get It
The End Records (CD)
Amazon.com (mp3)
eMusic (mp3)
iTunes (mp3)
Comments
Fuck yeah. Love the blasting little solo in there, good to hear these guys back with a vengeance. I wonder if Eyehategod themselves will ever record anything new?
12.9.2008 | By Fergus
really good stuff. don’t like the cover, though…
12.9.2008 | By Anonymous
Andrew can you do a write up on Disembodied..their doing a reunion show in my town but i never heard of ‘em before. On the bill is says Mean Season are going to be their opening act. i thought you can give me a heads up.. thx Andrew.
12.9.2008 | By Reno
Honestly, I was never a huge Disembodied fan. Mean Season is 100,000x better!
12.9.2008 | By Andrew Aversionline
Thanks for the Info Andrew..cause I really liked the posting about Mean Season ..so i thought Disembodied were something along that line..but anyways I appreciate it!
12.9.2008 | By Reno
Disembodied are what I would call a “metalcore” band in the 90’s sense, and many would probably argue with me that Disembodied is better than Mean Season (they’re fairly different styles, though), but I’ve just never been that taken by what I’ve heard from ‘em. I should probably revisit some of their earliest material, it’s just always been low priority for whatever reason. And like I said, Mean Season kills ‘em, heh…
12.10.2008 | By Andrew Aversionline
didn’t know that Mean Season are still playing. Interesting…
from Disembodied check Diablerie. It’s good, but nothing special. The rest of their material is so so…
12.10.2008 | By Carlos
Sounds like EHG minus all the feedback plus a kickass solo. That’s nearly perfect in my world.
12.11.2008 | By blatant
This is good, and better recorded than the 7” that came out a few years back. Smokin’ solo toward the end, too!
They’ll probably never top Take as Needed for Pain, however.
12.11.2008 | By Justin
*Justin said:*
*“They’ll probably never top Take as Needed for Pain, however.”*
Not sure anybody will.
12.12.2008 | By Johnny