Artist: Comeback Kid
Album: Die Knowing
Genre: Hardcore
Label: Victory Records

There’s been something of an “it” factor that Comeback Kid have possessed which has kept them in such high regard within the heavy music community for the past 14 years of the band’s existence. As far as hardcore groups with a more polished sound goes, this Winnipeg quintet have set the standard of what hardcore should sound like time and time again. The ripple effect of influence created by CBK’s past work, such as with their 2005 breakout record Wake the Dead, can still clearly be noticed through the rookies of today.

If there’s one thing to take from Die Knowing, it’s that there’s seemingly no possibility that Comeback Kid will ever slow down and/or dry out. It’s been four years since the release of their fourth record, Symptoms + Cures, and while many had expectations of the group getting rusty and pushing out a bland follow-up, they only got punchier than ever before while paying homage to the their past work, instead of ignoring their history altogether.

The interesting thing about the way the album starts off is how it projects an in-your-face sense of urgency through such a slow, snowballing build up. Frontman Andrew Neufield takes on an immediate thematic turn towards personal matters on the album’s title track that carries into the rest of the record with lyrics like “die knowing that you live to fight,” of which instantly spark mental images of pileups and mic grabs. Just off of this first song alone, it’s obvious that this record was written for the sole purpose of setting off any crowd in any live environment. This is then followed up by “Lower The Line,” a track that comes in at full throttle with its thrash-inspired riffs. Essentially, the beginning of this album is a figurative “opening of the floodgates” of what’s to come for the next 10 songs.

In case you happen doze off midway through listening to the album, the second half of “I Depend, I Control” is perfectly capable of waking you up with the brute force of a jackhammer. And if that didn’t get the job done, there’s no doubt that the wholesomely rapid “Beyond” will spike your heart rate.

Lineup changes always have such a polarizing effect on the fan-base of a band, but those who are still hung up on the departure of Scott Wade can at least rest knowing that this album features the ex-vocalist teaming up with Neufield for the explosive “Full Swing.” Die Knowing is given a fitting and triumphant ending on “Sink In,” which broadcasts out as one giant refusal to allow circumstances to get the best of you.

Still, with all of the positives come at least a few negatives. The pacing of the album simply accelerates from the very beginning and stays at that rate for the rest of the 30+ minute album, which makes things seem to only drag on. At other times, it feels as if they’ve been following a template that they’ve created for themselves long ago.

But that’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with straight-forward hardcore. Just know that even the greatest builders don’t always reinvent the wheel when they finish up a project – sometimes, they just walk away with a bright and shiny new wheel.

Rating: 8.5/10
Review written by Adrian Garza – Follow him on Twitter

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