Punk rock has never been a genre where its fans welcome change. Sure they will argue vehemently about having an open mind and not judging anyone, but the minute a punk band decides to progress their sound beyond the three chord anthems these same fans are quick to forget their message. Case in point: Green Day, Rancid, AFI, Boysetsfire, etc. California's Strung Out is yet another band to lump in with the purported pack, continually perfecting their sound the band has also had to overcome another obstacle: being signed to NOFX vocalist Fat Mike's record label, Fat Wreck Chords. A label that has had criticism hurled its way for numerous reasons; most notably people have argued that every band sounds the same. This has not prevented Strung Out from progressing and tweaking their sound and it's most evident on their sixth full length, Exile In Oblivion.
It has been a couple of years since anyone has heard from Strung Out, with the exception of a live album that was released last year. Strung Out has always toyed with hardcore and a bit of metal but it has become even more evident on this release. It is not on every song or even throughout the whole record but it definitely borrows from both genres in tracks like "Lucifermotorcade" and "Katatonia." This is unquestionably the hardest release by them to date and possibly the darkest. In "Blueprint of the Fall" the band tackles 9/11 with guitar parts that weave in and out over the vocals of Jason Cruz as he sings, "Imagine a place where freedom's just a word on a wall surrounded by the wreckage of towers that could never fall." The listener will notice another change: Cruz's vocals, while still melodic, have gotten rougher. This has its pros and cons, he is still able to teeter the line of screaming and singing and doing it very effectively, but his vocal range is not what it used to be.
"Vampires" is the beginning of a more melodic route the band goes down on the second half of the record. It is not blatant but there is undeniably a more melodic approach to the second half of the record. The technical guitar work is intermittent on Exile In Oblivion's last seven tracks. There are still some metalesque guitar solos like in "Never Speak Again" but for the most part it is a mix of punk and rock. Strung Out even flirts with a bit of pop punk on tracks like "Anna Lee" and "Swandive."
Considering the output of so-called punk bands as of late, Strung Out is head and shoulders ahead of the pack. This release builds on what they were attempting to do on 2002's American Paradox, and takes it to another level. They haven't reached their peak yet, but Strung Out is heading in the right direction with Exile In Oblivion.
3/4
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