Worn Thin
Remnants Of What Could Have Been (2003)
Jim
I was getting a little annoyed with what was passing as hardcore these days, after hearing stuff from Madball, Skaretactic, North Side Kings, etc. I was wondering if I'd ever see another band in my review pile that actually played good hardcore. Leave it to DC to produce a band that would answer my question in full. Forming in late 1999 or early 2000, Worn Thin plays hardcore that is catchy, but certainly not toothless.
With their sound finding a middle ground between melodic and aggressive, Worn Thin reminds me of Turning Point with a bit of modern edge, sort of like Count Me Out. The vocals immediately stood out to me, even from the first listen. Carlos' shout is powerful, without sounding overbearing, or like quasi-tough guy thug. Sure, shouted choruses have been done by a million bands, but when done well they can still sound amazing. The melody makes these songs incredibly memorable, even the vocals have a melodic quality, although there's not any true singing to speak of. This release is discography of sorts, compiling the bands earlier material on one convenient disc. Although the lyrics are somewhat cliché, the delivery really makes all the difference; a lesser band couldn't have pulled it off so well. What could they do to top this all off? Why, a cover of "Little Friend" by Minor Threat, of course. And why not?
Unfortunately, Worn Thin appears to be planning to break up at the end of the summer, so catch them while you still can. Hopefully they can put out another release before they disband. Although this release is only a compilation, is still an extremely solid collection of songs, that would make an impressive full-length any day.
My Favorite Track: Gone, Bye