Occasionally hardcore, or what passes for it today, gets too predictable, and the tone-deaf singers with their cookie monster jabberings about the lies of democracy feel just like a piece of pizza tastes when it's been in the microwave too long. Occasionally it all sounds like a gelatinous glob of shit, with very little creativity, but lots of style biting.

Every so often I feel like an album (any style) is just a cop-out by four or five guys who'd play almost fucking anything to get somewhere. Some bands could easily grab a trombone player, make their colors all clash, get the first name that pops into a passing three-year-old's head, and start playing ninth wave ska. Or they could start chain smoking, abuse their mother's eyeliner, shrink their clothing and become an "indie" band. You see where this could go, right?

Scars of Tomorrow came up fast, but luckily, seem sincere about the eleven songs here. The seem to truly enjoy the weighty noise they make, but the singer, though adequate, may as well be a roadie for all he's really contributing. Or, if they just taught him how to actually sing a little it would keep them from getting pigeonholed with bands who've far, far less ability. I liked Rope regardless, especially "Suffocating Words", but wish they'd offer some variation in the voice department, but hey, maybe he can haul a mean amp?