7.22.2008

7/22/08: Young Widows

YOUNG WIDOWS
Old Wounds
Temporary Residence Limited Records
Release Date: September 9, 2008
Rating: 3.25 out of 5

Sounds like: Noise-punk riffs laid over a solid hardcore backbeat; jagged Fugazi meets squelching The Jesus Lizard by way of gutbusting The Melvins



This Kentucky power trio brings a whole kitchen sink full of noise on the rambling, at times hard-hitting Old Wounds. After losing the lead singer of previous hardcore/metal incarnation Breather Resist, guitarist Evan Patterson took over vocal duties and led Young Widows into more experimental territory. Although Old Wounds opens slowly on the dirge-ish “Took A Turn” and the lumbering mess “Mr. No Harm,” the band finds its metal-influenced groove on the last four tracks of the album. “Delay Your Progress” blends psychotic clattering and throbbing, tough-as-nails bass into an early ‘80s punk redux, and “Let Him Be” features stomping chants and staggering drums ideal for sweaty, drunken live venues. The fuzzy cacophony of “Feelers” points in a solid direction, and album closer “Swamped And Agitated” merrily drowns under washes of psychedelic guitar blasts and ramshackle walls of sound that highlight the band at its pinnacle of energy. Piecing together Old Wounds from dozens of hours of live recordings may not yield the most cohesive results, but it does draw attention to Young Widows’ explosive and unpredictable abilities.

Myspace: www.myspace.com/youngwidows
Label: www.temporaryresidence.com/bands/young-widows.php

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