What we have here ladies and gentlemen is something fun. From the outset of their newest release, Coliseum blasts their way past your preconceptions of punk by bending the genre to suit their needs. The opening tracks, “Disappear From Sight” and “Last/Lost” hit quick and furious leaving you little respite before switching gears. “Doing Time” sounds like some earlier Queens of the Stone Age, squealing around a solid, aggressive bass line.
“Love Under Will” quickly became one of my favorites, trading swift tempos for something a bit more contemplative. This track stood out in particular for its surprising tenderness, though it still rocks in all the right places. The excellence continues on “Used Blood” which pulls back the curtains on the dark, creepier aspects of this group’s songwriting talents. If you’re a fan of space rock or grunge you’ll get a lot of enjoyment from the central tracks of the record. Songs like “Late Night Trains” and “Everything In Glass” are chock full of mesmerizing riffs and chunky drumming.
The latter half of the album keeps the energy going with “Black Magic Punks” which returns to a more traditional punk rock formula. The rhythm is sexy as hell with several solo bass moments that accent the tune well. The album continues with a dichotomous track pairing, “Save Everything” and “Bad Will”. I liked the two of these back to back in the order, but their presence on the record dragged it out a little too long. Of the two, “Bad Will” impressed me most with its take-no-shit attitude.
The album closes very strongly with “Sister Faith” and “Fuzzbang”. “Sister Faith” opens with some meaty drumming and an epic opening riff. Singer/guitarist Ryan Patterson puts in some excellent vocal work and an even more amazing guitar solo. “Fuzzbang” is a straight rocker that exudes a stellar, upbeat attitude. Even with the album running a little long, I always wanted more after hearing this song. I suppose that’s what makes it such an excellent closer.
Overall Sister Faith is more than worth your time. The record is hard, fast, and aggressive, but it still takes turns you wouldn’t expect into highly atmospheric territory. Give it a listen.
Rating: 7.8/10
MP3: Coliseum “Black Magic Punks”
Buy: iTunes
