Never Say Die

The Baby Stealing Hurricane (2005)

Meg Reinecker

Never Say Die's (otherwise known as NSDWHOA!) release of The Baby Stealing Hurricane is a well-produced, boundary-stretching EP that will leave you not only wanting more, but also wondering what in the hell you just heard. And honestly, with track names like "If This is a Revolution We Have to Offend Somebody Damnit" and "If it Wasn't for That Bastard David Hasselhoff the Berlin Wall Would Still Be Standing," how less than amazing can an album be?

"The Death of Mustache Metal," the EP's first track, opens with a surge of grind-influenced noise which appears somewhat inconsistently throughout the album. The Baby Stealing Hurricane's next track "If This is a Revolution…" takes a breather from blast beats and Dillinger Escape-like tendencies and moves into screamo-oriented territory. In fact, a bold parallel lies 20 seconds into the song with Saetia's "Some Natures Catch No Plagues," where choppy vocals overlap guitar work in a brilliantly catchy fashion. "If This is a Revolution," also provides the listener with tempo changes and sing-alongs.

"She's a Kung Fu Kick to the Throat" for the most part lacks the intensity of the first two tracks, with the exception of the presence of death metal growls that encompass the last few seconds of the track. "Make Like Richard Prior and Set Yourself on Fire" returns the listener to the grind parts that made the EP's first track so memorable, while also incorporating smooth breakdowns into the mix.

With a band as eccentric and unique as Never Say Die (hell, the disc's got computer generated graphics of both a walking penis and a pair of breasts wearing a top hat), your hope in original music still being created should definitely be restored.