ALBUM REVIEW: Clockworked – Stray From The Path
All good things must come to an end. Even though it is a gut wrenching feeling when it’s a band that many people love, it’s always great to see them going out on a high instead of fading into obscurity with sub par releases. For STRAY FROM THE PATH, it’s the former, their incendiary style of hardcore music has entertained us since their debut album in 2003 until this years Clockworked which sees them bowing out on fine form, with an album that fills us with rage for all the right reasons, it’s one hell of a way to sign off on.
Kicking off the album proper is the blistering Kubrick Stare, a reminder of how everything bad is turning us numb in the world and we can’t help but stare at everything unfolding whilst being hardened or desensitised to what we’re seeing on the news each day, thus creating our own ‘Kubrick Stare’ made famous by the likes of Jack Nicholson, Vincent D’Nofrio and Malcolm McDowell. The anguishing lyric “how much can we fucking bear” and “don’t you feel ashamed” resonate around your head as the disorientating guitars mirror that of the bombardment of horrific world events that go by each day. Fuck Them All To Hell follows and has quite the groove to it mixed in with the metalcore sound of the song, the chugging and bending guitar strings create a whirlwind of sound that pummels you again and again as Drew York’s gives the album a terrific bite to it, it continues the rage brought on from the start and brings it to boiling point. Shot Caller is a grinding and eerie sounding track incorporating a mixture of metal riffs and hip-hop as York continues to deliver a stunning performance on the record, keeping us on our toes as the styles change and interweave effortlessly throughout as it feels like a combination of both FEVER 333 and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE on steroids.
Can’t Help Myself is another wonderful hip-hop driven metal track focusing on York’s struggles with addictions over the years, his sorrowful yells of him saying “I can’t help myself” is a gut punch to any listener and will resonate with anyone who has struggled over the years. Game recognises game in the albums namesake with Clockworked, even thought STRAY FROM THE PATH are more than enough for the song, they even find room to fit in excellent fellow metalcore peers LANDMVRKS who join forces to birth the best song on the album thus far, it’s another groovy metal track that is bolstered by Florent Salfati’s impressive vocals whose rap skills rival that of York’s. Shocker goes hand in hand with Clockworked and is business as usual with it bearing similarities to tracks earlier in the record with an enormous chorus to boot which will have you chanting “666” along with York in no time. Another cameo on the record appears on Bodies In The Dark in the guise of POISON THE WELL which ups the ante on the heaviness as we get past the halfway point on the record, whilst it is a fun track it doesn’t quite have the same bite as those that have come before it.
The final stretch of the album takes us at 100mph, particularly on the track Can I Have Your Autograph, a swirling call to arms that takes aim at those (In particular, the awful DISTURBED) who willingly sign their names on bombs to be dropped on innocent people rendering it the only impact they’ll ever have. The cavalcade of sound makes you yearn to see this track in a live setting yelling “MANIAC, MANIAC” as loud as possible as you get lost in a vortex of sweaty bodies. You’re Not That Guy is another call to arms from the band as it lays waste to all that comes before it, it’s an uncompromising piece of hardcore music that pulls no punches. A Life In Four Chapters closes the album on a bittersweet and victorious note, with it being the last song we’ll ever hear (for now) from the band, it ends Clockworked on an absolute high where you don’t want it to end, but as is life, all good things must end.
The eleventh and final album (for now) from STRAY FROM THE PATH is excellent. With all the awful events that are occurring in the world currently, it helps you validate your views and positions you on the right side of history as it rightfully takes aim at genocidal governments and despotic dictators. As ever, STRAY FROM THE PATH has knocked it out of the park and they will indeed be missed.
Rating: 8/10
Clockworked is out now via SharpTone Records.
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