CafFiends

Item: Closer to Defeat
Author: thOrN

Closer to Defeat

(2001)

Reviewed by thOrN

Discogs Bandcamp

Label Screaming Giant RecordsDead Zine2001

metalcore post-hardcore

Do you like to be pleasantly surprised? I know I do.

"Do you like the CafFiends?" So says a friend of mine. "I've heard of them," I say, "But aren't they a bad punk band?" "No they are like this crazy post-hardcore type of thing." he responds. "Hmm they've played TOMfest (I go to every year) a few times and I never checked em out." I ponder aloud. "Well here's their disc you will probably dig em."

Now mostly when someone says "You will probably dig them." it turns out to mean you come to barely tolerate them. Don't know how that works out it just does. This band bucks that rule by actually being very good.

First off it is THE best Screaming Giant album production I've yet to hear. In a better stereo system, with a sub, amps, and etc, it gets a bit muddied up but it holds up very nicely in a normal stereo. The drums are tight with toms and bass drum just big enough to fill in the cracks. The big boy in the mix is the bass guitar and that is what kills the sound in a bigger stereo, once again on a normal system it sounds just fine. The guitars are clear and bright in the mix while still remaining tough and raw, tough thing to pull off with this style of music.

Just what style would I call this? Post-hardcore pretty much sums it up well enough. To get down into it think of a better Training for Utopia mix in some Sunny Day Real Estate that had been thrown in the garbage disposal and beat mix to a pulp at strange impulses and interludes, that should give you a good idea. So you have lots of chugs, some squeals, runs, blast beats (small amount), jerky time stops etc, and some pretty parts that eventually get massacred.

The lyrics are a mix of praise oriented and admonishment of self and others. The praise comes off as truthful and heartfelt rather than "hokey", as what happens when some bands write these types of lyrics.

"Bedlam"
don't keep silent
keep your heart trapped in doubt
lift your voice and sing
hear the rocks cry out
Majesty, Holy, Majesty, Worthy

"the Revelation"
not as much fear but respect
not respect but amazement
falling down
pride is weakness
this is not our world
this is not our lives
just mere inhabitants
we are futile

no comprehension what lies beyond
laws of physics our laws

in praise of your name in amazement
and I fall down
humility the Great I Am
the One who was and is to come
for You are worthy O Lord.

I also have a thing for poetic beautifully written words being screamed with all the heart of the vocalist and Nacho (as the vocalist is referred to in the booklet) does this well pouring his heart into his higher pitch throated screams that alternate to a punk hardcore type exasperated talk.

All in all I'd recommend you getting this CD if you liked TFU but thought them a little sub par or too "artsy".

Also you may know I write this the night of the horrendous attack on our country (USA for our international readers) Sept 11th 2001. This cd is putting me more into a praise and humilitive heart that I need to be.

September 11th 2001

8/10