A Wilhelm Scream - A Wilhelm Scream (12'')

The follow-up to their unanimously acclaimed fifth album (third since they changed their name Smackin' Isaiah) 'Career suicide' has been impatiently waited for a while, but isn't expected to come out before several months. To make fans hold on, the band is releasing five new songs on their new label Paper + Plastick as a 12'' and digital EP.

The first impression you get while playing this self-titled EP is that the Massachussetts five-piece stuck to the sound of 'Career suicide'. Opener 'Australias' is a good icebreaker, taking back the efficient elements of the latest album. A Wilhelm Scream still make fast music, catchy punk-rock melodies ('Bulletproof tiger') with a hardcore touch and gruff vocals. Though, the speed is lesser than on their full-lengths. It's not slow, as I said, but it lacks a bit of aggressiveness. It's especially disappointing on 'Fun times' and its average chorus. The lyrics aren't great either. I feel like the format of the release gave them the freedom to try new things and therefore appears kind of experimental. There are numerous guitar solos, especially on closer 'Skid rock'. Sometimes it feels a bit messy and if it may be some of the best instrumentations they've ever done, it may also turn off some listeners.

I am quite torn about this EP. There are very good songs but there are boring ones, too. Most people hope they will keep the 'Career suicide' direction and I do too, but maybe they want to go somewhere else. A few slowdowns don't mean much though and we should be ready for something good coming from those guys next year. Whatever they decide to do, it won't go unnoticed and as vocalist Nuno Pereira simply states, "As long as I have friends / I'll have enemies in the making".

3.5/5

Recommanded if you like:
No Trigger, Strung Out, Propagandhi
Check also:
Copy Of A Copy, This Is A Standoff, The Video Dead

www.myspace.com/awilhelmscream
(Paper + Plastick, 2009)