EP REVIEW: TROUBLE – Comeback Kid
At this stage in their career the hardcore veterans COMEBACK KID have very little to prove. Since their formation more than two decades ago the Canadians have proven to be one of the most dependable and highly regarded heavy acts around. In recent years the band have found a completely new lease on life, writing some of the best music of their storied careers, culminating in the tremendous Heavy Steps in 2022, and now its follow-up, the TROUBLE EP.
The record opener and lead single Trouble In The Winner’s Circle is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the lads: a high energy, punk rock rager with punchy guitar lines and one of vocalist Andrew Neufeld’s famously infectious choruses complete with gang vocals and the kind of melody that is simply tailor made for the live setting in which the band thrives.
Disruption is a much more old-fashioned hardcore track. The levels of intensity and aggression are driven right up and will make the perfect soundtrack to multiple crowd surfers and mosh pits when the boys add this to their already stacked setlists. This extended play is the perfect release both for diehard fans of the band who are hungry for more, and as an introduction to exactly what this hardcore mainstay of a group does. This is a compact and concise work that emphasises just how direct, high-octane and fun the music of CBK can be.
The second half of the EP shows no signs of taking its foot off of the listener’s throat. Chompin’ At The Bit is another massive tune, with Neufeld sounding as emotive and powerful as ever as his vocals sore over the chords in the verse. The chorus, however, is an absolute monster, containing a hook big enough to reel in Moby Dick. This is one is built for a singalong, something that the lads have something of a penchant for, with their incredible knack for delivering melody without sacrificing any of the relentless ferocity that drives their music.
The final chapter of the release Breaking And Bruised deviates from the formula of the rest of the songs. This is a much more melodic affair. The feedback from the guitars quickly gives way to booming drums and melodic lead guitars and vocals before another mammoth chorus comes in. This track feels like the weakest of the four sonically, but that is not to say that it isn’t great in its own right.
Overall, this is a superb effort from COMEBACK KID and one that will absolutely tick the boxes of their baying fans. The heavy parts are heavy; the melodic parts are perfectly balanced in the sense that they are catchy, yet not sickly sweet; and perhaps most importantly, the band sound fully charged and like they are having a really good time. It’s like they are all reading from the same hymn sheet and having a great amount of fun in the process, proving that the fire doesn’t burn out after more than two decades in the business. COMEBACK KID are aging like a fine wine, and hopefully the TROUBLE EP is simply just the starter with a new album to follow in the new year. Please lads, strike whilst the iron is hot.
Rating: 8/10
TROUBLE is out now via SharpTone Records.
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