CoC : Ed Gein - It's a Shame : Review

Ed Gein - _It's a Shame_
(Hex Records, 2003)
by: Xander Hoose (6 out of 10)

Although the name would make you suspect you're dealing with a death metal band, it's actually hardcore this Syracuse, NY three-piece is producing. _It's a Shame_ features eight songs, all clocking under two-and-a-half minutes. One of the songs is a noise-piece ("...And by the Best I Mean the Worst"), and the last song clocks at almost twelve minutes -- of which nine minutes consist of silence followed by a small bonus (demo?) part. Unfortunately, there's not much that's inspiring to tell about _It's a Shame_. The production is pretty cheap for a non-demo, which is especially audible in the tinny drum sound -- although all the instruments suffer from it. Vocals are absolutely average, and most of the songs are just that as well, with the exception of "Nice Shoes... Wanna Fuck", by far the most refreshing song of the album. With killer competition (check out this month's Beneath the Ashes), Ed Gein has to make more of an effort to draw a bit of attention to themselves -- having the name of a serial killer as a band name just doesn't cut it anymore these days. To quote the title, it's a shame indeed.

Contact: http://www.ed-gein.cjb.net

(article published 24/7/2003)