On their 10th studio album VOWS, punk veterans Hot Water Music do not miss a beat. With a solid instrumental foundation and good lyricism, the record is another step in the right direction.
“Menace” opens pretty cautiously with a distorted guitar before giving way to short drum and guitar riffs, but eventually opens up to a full track, especially in its rousing chorus. An undercover bassline from Jason Black sneaks through during the chorus, adding a much-needed touch of nuance to a pretty standard opener. Its lyrics help explain the monotony of the sound, describing the struggle of suffering and recovery, the never-ending circle that traps humanity in its jaws.
Most of the tracks are pretty repetitive in their structure. A guitar holds a center stage position as a singular riff builds into a drum introduction and rhythm guitar-dominated section. It’s easy to fall into monotony this way, but one instrument helps bring it some life as Black and his bass are the sonic saving grace of this record.
On “Burn Forever,” a normal verse gets a smooth bass undertone to pump it up. It helps create a balance between serving as a way to the heavy chorus and a laid-back bridge, making its early Paramore-like transitions easier to understand.
“Remnants” has a similar tone, allowing the bass to become the transitional figure instead of the standard guitar. While it’s a slower song, the bass gives a jolt of energy to move from the chorus to the bridge and back again.
Hot Water Music’s lyricism will not set the world on fire, but they make use of metaphors well throughout their record. While the burning image has been used repeatedly, “Wildfire” featuring Michael “Popeye” Vogelsang of Calling Hours does not overdo it. By floating to moneyback guarantees and toxins, the metaphor of “Choking on a wildfire in the sun” becomes prominent.
Arguably the best song on the record “Side Of The Road” does everything differently and makes it work. With a minor and melodic opening guitar riff, it easily drags the listener into a simple bassline. The lyrics themselves are lost in retracing and understanding why someone is where they are; it’s haunting but beautiful at the same time. “Out of my control / Now that I collide with all that’s / Out of my control / I’m on the side of the road / Retracing my steps.”
Overall, while Hot Water Music might want to retrace some of its steps for the next record, VOWS is an alright album — the amazing bass and lyricism combine to truly help raise the bar.
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