CoC : Single Bullet Theory - Route 666 : Review

Single Bullet Theory - _Route 666_
(Crash Music, 2003)
by: Jackie Smit (6.5 out of 10)

Continuing the seemingly irrefragable revival of post-hardcore/thrash that looks set to saturate the metallic marketplace in coming months, Single Bullet Theory follow in the footsteps of labelmates NDE in releasing a mildly enjoyable, though often severely flawed record. Whereas Single Bullet Theory can out-riff NDE with their eyes closed, and _Route 666_'s production far outweighs that of the latter's last release, the trouble comes into paradise when Matt DiFabio switches from his menacing roar to the sort of cringe-inducing power metal-tinged vocals that quite frankly would not sound out of place in a spoof-band. Like a turd on the Mona Lisa, these falsetto meanderings serve to cripple the intensity of every track they appear in (which constitutes about 95% of the record's material) and makes the often very juvenile lyrics sound even more laughably ridiculous -– "Spit" being the most notable example. However, when a band sports the talents of ex-Pissing Razors and Seven Witches collaborators, it's fair to assume that a certain level of excellence is evident at least some of the time. The nastiness of "Imperfect Fit" and old-school groove of "Revamp/Rebuild" are just some of the record's better moments. If aggressive hardcore/trash is what you're after however, you'd be advised to take a look at Lamb of God's _As the Palaces Burn_ long before you give Single Bullet Theory anything more than a passing thought.

(article published 28/8/2003)