Comeback Kid, Broadcasting

It seemed for a while that Victory Records was shifting its focus to more melodic bands, like Spitalfield and Bayside and eschewing the hardcore days of yore. Not the case, it seems. Comeback Kid’s Broadcasting pretty much proves that Victory can still put out some amazing skullcrushers when they want to. It’s probably the best metallic hardcore album that I’ve heard in a long while — although admittedly, I had begun to think the genre had become stagnant, having jumped the jersey-wearing, tattooed shark long ago. I began to rethink that stance when I saw Comeback Kid open up for Gorilla Biscuits last year; they fucking killed at that show. Now I have their new album in my hot little hands, and it fucking kills, too.

Comeback Kid doesn’t necessarily redefine the metallic hardcore landscape or anything on Broadcasting, but they show us how to do it the right way. The guitars rage, the drums pummel, and the vocals are ragged without becoming unintelligible grunts. There’s even a dash or two of melody thrown in amongst the multitude of mosh breakdowns — the title track has been stuck in my head since I heard it. Part of what makes the album so listenable is the production, handled by Bill Stevenson, of All/Descendents fame, and Jason Livermore, along with the band itself. It’s crisp, clean, and punchy, with killer tones and separation, easily making it one of the best sounding hardcore albums I’ve ever heard. If you think you might be outgrowing the whole hardcore thing, give Broadcasting a listen. It may give you a new lease on life…or at the very least remind you of what it feels like to want to punch something.