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Full Blown Chaos

Full Blown Chaos

Written by: PP on 26/05/2011 03:47:22

Though many people identify Full Blown Chaos as a part of the New York Hardcore scene, to this scribe they've always incorporated too much of a metalcore crossover approach into their brand of hardcore to justify grouping them with the likes of Sick Of It All, Madball, or Agnostic Front. And that's something their self-titled, fifth album spends a considerable amount of time making clear to the listener: though the rough hardcore barks may have their origins in NYHC, the majority of the band's sound in 2011 draws from generic metalcore instead.

Now, I say generic metalcore because Full Blown Chaos has always been a band known for integrating standard metalcore melodies into a distinctly tough-guy hardcore base. To some extent, this has been successful through some surprisingly catchy guitar melodies in the midst of their overly simplistic chug-chug core that they otherwise exhibit. Such examples are also visible on this album on, for example, "The Walking Dead" and especially on album highlight "Grave Digger", but aside from the few glowing examples of what can be done with such an unusual crossover stance, the band is perfectly happy chomping away at one-chord riffs and nothingsaying vocal grunts that really go nowhere. That isn't surprising considering their track record in the past, though, where each and every album has a couple of killer hardcore cuts with just enough melody to stand out, whereas the remainder of tracks fade into gray anonymity and boring breakdowncore instead of following through with the strong melodies the band is occasionally capable of constructing. As such, Full Blown Chaos continue triumphing as a good mid-tier band with no prospect of growing their fan base out of their current loyal core, and even so it's difficult to argue that their self-titled album is any improvement from past disappointment.

Download: Silence Is Golden, Gravedigger, Doomageddon
For the fans of: Sworn Enemy, Born From Pain
Listen: Myspace

Release date 25.02.2011
Metal Blade