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No Trigger

Dr. Album

Written by: PP on 25/12/2022 13:36:23

As far as rarities go, a new album by No Trigger certainly is one. After releasing "Canyoneer" in 2006, which is today considered a seminal melodic hardcore album, the band spent six years working on a follow-up. But what a record "Tycoon" was ten years ago. Its coarse, gravelly vocals exploded out of the soundscape in a brilliant cacophony of melody and chaos, whilst a flurry of technical leads raced across the background leaving many songs by A Wilhelm Scream behind in terms of intricacy. It was as if Kid Dynamite found a more melodic knack to their songwriting and laced on the technical aspects of the former in the process. No wonder then the scene has been buzzing in advance for their third full-length "Dr. Album".

If you're an old fan of No Trigger reading this, you'll probably agree with me that the only natural reaction to this album is: what the fucking fuck? What happened here? Vocals? Where are the explosive roars that defined their soundscape on the first two albums? Where is the technical instrumentation? The breakneck speed, screamed out approach that resembled Strike Anywhere? Everything that defined No Trigger has been thrown out the window, replaced by Four Year Strong-style pop punk with even the occasional dabble with Sum 41-style cheesefests. Forget about melodic hardcore; it doesn't exist on "Dr. Album".

"Antifantasy" opens the record with anti-fascist lyrics but stylistically sounds like Set Your Goals did on "Mutiny!". That record didn't age well despite its youthful spirit and enthusiasm, by the way, and No Trigger has neither available in their palette. "Coffee From A Microwave" (featuring Little Low on female vocals) is like a Four Year Strong track. It's catchy pop punk with a slightly crunchier guitar distortion. "Water By The Beer Can" is pop punk by the books with an acoustic guitar. "Best Friend Stuff" is just flat-out boring despite its shouted vocals toward the end. "Acid Lord" is aggressive at least, but sounds forced. And what in the hell is "Foggy Mountain Bus Stop"? It's completely pointless, sounds like they wrote a cowbell song while on drugs and accidentally left it on the record without realizing it was gonna be released. "Totally Digital" sounds like Sum 41 if you added keyboards to the mix.

Note, this is not a commentary on any of the bands mentioned in this review. I happen to enjoy Four Year Strong, and the Set Your Goals easycore record is still a guilty pleasure of mine. It's just extremely disappointing to have virtually the best melodic hardcore band around devolve from their complex stylistic expression into this sugarcoated, clean, mainstream-clinging mess of an album. Sure, a number of the songs are catchy and on par with I Am The Avalanche in terms of snotty pop punk with a driving rhythm. But you can't help but evaluate "Dr. Album" in contrast to "Canyoneer" and "Tycoon", both of which are among the very best albums released in punk rock in this century. In comparison, "Dr. Album" is a throwaway album that feels cliché and, worse, dated given it is released in 2022 and not in 2008. Get it together, guys!

Download: Antifantasy, Coffee From A Microwave
For the fans of: Four Year Strong, Set Your Goals, I Am The Avalanche, Sum 41
Listen: Facebook

Release date 26.08.2022
Red Scare Industries