Throttle Junkies

Soil

MIA Records, 1999

http://www.soiltheband.com

REVIEW BY: Paul Hanson

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 11/02/1999

Not in a long time have a heard a band that made me want to slam dance as much as Soil. Finally, a band that combines a rough-n-tough attitude and has the metal guitars and thunderous drums to back it up. This is a metal band that rocks. Finally.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The impressive sounds from this Chicago band's album Throttle Junkies start immediately with "Everything," a song that jumps into a showcase for vocalist Ryan McCombs to shout/sing his lyrics. Things stay on track with both "Road To Ruin," "Damning Eden" and "F-Hole." If the band had an official anthem, this song would be the favorite to be it. McCombs is absolutely vicious when he screams"You make me want to stand up/ And scream I want to be Free/ Never think about the unthinkable/ 1600 and her backwards dance."

Things calm down for "Man I Am," the closest the band comes to a 'slow song.' It isn't long before guitarists Adam Zadel and Shaun Glass shatter an acoustic guitar rhythm with sharp guitar shreddings. McCombs is brutal again with lyrics like "Once I crawled and once I walked/ And now I stand just to fall down again."

By the time you get to "Stand To Fall," you know and understand the magic of this band. Drummer Tom Schonfield takes the role of leader and navigates through a toggling of vibes. This time, it's upbeat and a more mellow vibe. Schonfield's drumming shines the brightest on this track.

Soil is new and wet behind the ears. The songs here, though, display the type of maturity in songwriting and musical ability I'd expect from a band that has been around forever. The crunchy guitars and past-your-face-and-down-your-throat aggressive vocals are just two of this band's many strengths. I expect big things from this band in the 21st Century.

Rating: A

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© 1999 Paul Hanson and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of MIA Records, and is used for informational purposes only.