CoC : Chum - Dead To The World : Review

Chum - _Dead To The World_
(Century Media, 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)

Like an archer hitting a bull's-eye dead-on, this debut album by the Huntington, West Virginia quartet is pure marksmanship ... or in the band's case shall I say musicianship? The amalgamation of harmonic bliss and chaotic guitar riffs sets this band ahead of the pack with a triumphant bit of genuinely open and sure-fire songwriting. No sooner than the first track "Stepping On Cracks" begins do we feel the intensity that Chum are willing to reveal to us through their music - and it only gets heavier. Much like the style of labelmates Only Living Witness (though more hard-edged to some degree) or New York's Helmet and Quicksand, Chum are so far between styles with each song, it is too hard to pinpoint exactly where they belong in any critical classification spectrum. Chum's album spews forth such dynamically strong numbers as "Greetings", "Untouchable", and "Halfway Home" (_DTtW_ even has a cover of [the artist formerly known as -- Alain] Prince's "Darling Nikki"), and can only be seen as something of pure aggression. Not 'Rip-Your-Fucking-Heart-Out!!' aggression, but packed with enough energy that it'll knock you off your feet several times before you can hit the stop button. Chum wants your attention. Now!

(article published 18/4/1996)

CHATS
6/9/1996	A Bromley	Chum: Attacking From the Appalachian's