All Dinosaurs

Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior (2012)

Joe Pelone

I love all dinosaurs (the animal!). I don't love All Dinosaurs (the band!). Nothing against the riffy quasi-metal they've got going on. I'm all about that. Nor is it anything against shit kicking speed punk. That's cool too. But the way the band jumps between the two leaves the group's new George Washington-referencing record, Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior, a little incoherent. At their best, All Dinosaurs recall the post-hardcore of Planes Mistaken For Stars: Punkers with a love of dirty rock riffs. That's just not a consistent accomplishment here.

Still, the record starts off promisingly with the title track. That one's a romper stomper. But by track three, "High Karate," the vocals start to feel more and more incidental, as if the band is just ranting whenever. This is not a catchy record, but rather a showcase for riffs.

And such deliciously dirty riffs! Rules of Civility finds a balance, production wise, between dirty and clean. All the better to highlight those sick licks (dig that guitar solo on "Tight Rope," man). But these still don't feel like memorable songs, as they jump around a lot without really going anywhere, and not in a cool, alternating technical hardcore way. Sad to say, given that All Dinosaurs almost recall Black Tusk's thrashing, gnashing brand of metal, but this album could use a couple of hooks.