On their first studio album, Conditioned For Demolition, the Boston hardcore punk outfit Haywire doesn’t skip corners. With their scream-infused vocal style to underlying percussion that steals the show, this first record is the sign of many things to come for the group.
From the get-go, the opening track “B.H.C.A.D.E.D” or “Boston hardcore, all day every day,” is almost completely instrumental besides a single repetition of the song’s title. While the guitars are pretty sharp, the drums are the hero of this track. Moving back and forth between a snare-based style on the downside and a crashing cymbal, an uptempo kick on the other side helps give the song a path to follow.
Overall, the group’s song pattern is very simplistic. Guitar and drum fused openings help lead the way, anger-tinged vocals fill in the gaps and the occasional bass guitar solo piques the listener’s attention. But the drumming helps cement the album away from repetitive boredom.
A few examples come to mind from the tracks “Haywire,” and the album’s title track. On “Haywire,” the drumming is used as a lane filler, like a power forward on a basketball team. Each individual moment is filled with a crashing cymbal that complements the vocals and provides an offbeat moment so the guitars can change course.
“Conditioned For Demolition” does a similar thing, but instead the drumming is more like a point guard, dishing dimes to help set for the other instruments. In the intro, drums help signal the entrance of vocals but also give a good starting jump for a small bass solo. Otherwise, it’s back to filling the lane.
The best song, however, takes a few drum moments but mostly steers away from much of the album in “Love Song” featuring Chubby and The Gang. “Love Song” takes place as more of a true classic punk track rather than a hardcore outing and has a true guitar solo near its closing. Its usage of the classic Ink Spots’s track “I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire” is also a familiar and sarcastic touch against the song’s more direct lyrics and its own interpretation of the words.
“You really make me think / You give me confidence / When you’re in the room / It’s just the only love I want.”
In the end, Conditioned For Demolition seemed like it was about to implode, but a few off-kilter tracks and some talented drumming helped save the day.
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