This Ship Will Burn
A Fool's Paradise / Servant of Servants [7 inches] (2007)
Brian Shultz
This Ship Will Burn is an Ontarian hardcore band who simultaneously released two 7"s in August of 2007. Though there are some slight differences here and there, they make fine companions.
Anyway, A Fool's Paradise was a stateside release by Fall of the West Records. It's got some charged, rock 'n' roll-tinged tunes -- think a punk rock Suicide File (well, less intense and with scratchier vocals). The rhymes are a litle Dr. Seuss-esque at points ("I'll try not to lose my head / Can't keep this up I'm almost dead"), but the lyrics are better here than on the other 7". Still, they're pretty invigorating and damn well energetic enough.
Servant of Servants is a little more diverse. Released on Germany's Thrashbastard Records in Europe, This Ship Will Burn open it on the title track with a slower and more melodic focus. It reminds me of what might happen if Jason Shevchuk sang for Fucked Up -- for real. Okay, fine -- if one of Shevchuk's eventual clones sang for Fucked Up. Seriously, though -- check out the grandiose guitars and the awesome upbeat chorus; it's void of the experimentation but it definitely has that band's sense. "Distance and Distate" and "So Frowned the Mighty Combatants" are more in line with A Fool's Paradise, while "Laertes" and "Jonathan Harkers Journal" take on the aforementioned vibe. Too bad there just doesn't seem to be much lyrical substance; take "Laertes" itself, for example, which just comes off lazy: "When I wake up / You're not home / Broken empties / Broken bones / Leave a message / I'll be alone / Feel the rhythm / Let it go." Come onnn, dudes.
But overall, there's a lot of promise here. This Ship Will Burn have some superb influences -- now they just need to wield a mightier pen, improve the chops a bit and they'll be set.