From The Dead End Blocks Where Life Means Nothing

Album review

There's metalcore and then there's metalcore: meaning some groups that fall under this increasingly broad heading are heavy metal bands who have assimilated certain aspects of hardcore; others are hardcore bands who have adopted some of heavy metal's tricks. Philadelphia's Shattered Realm are most assuredly of the latter persuasion, being grounded in the short, simple song structures and everyday social concerns typical of hardcore lyrics, before injecting metal's more aggressive, regimented guitar assault and delivering said lyrics in death-like grunts. Their fourth full album, 2005's expansively titled From the Dead End Blocks Where Life Means Nothing, lasts all of 22 minutes and never once abandons the first-person (lest you consider the vaguely targeted and, er, eloquent "Eat Shit, Got to Hell") vantage point from which to accuse the band's enemies. You know, the usual rogue's gallery of two-faced authority figures (the religion-bating "Devil in Disguise"), posers and wannabes ("New Disgrace," "All that Matters"), all-purpose betrayers ("Final Day," "Fallen," "Her Justice"), and anyone who would challenge their disciplined lifestyle ("No One Else") and very existence ("Our Time," "Endless") -- plus the requisite shout-out to fallen friends that is the inside tribute "G.B.N.F." (yawn!). Bottom line: this is metalcore reduced to its most fundamental and predictable hardcore basics -- not a bad thing so long as the familiar hallmarks aren't completely old-hat to you already, and if you can appreciate the fact that Shattered Realm are purists imposing these limitations in a conscious fashion. There's a lot worse out there.
© Eduardo Rivadavia /TiVo