2004 is turning out to be a very good year for the return of West Coast (born or influenced) melodic hardcore. With new material from BAD RELIGION, THE DESCENDENTS, PULLEY, TEN FOOT POLE, BREAK THE SILENCE and eventually, STRUNG OUT, it might as well be 1996 all over again. But there’s a wildcard to this equation, and that is Bedford, Massachusetts’ A WILHELM SCREAM, who bring East Coast fury to their melodic hardcore anthems and leave no ounce of sweat behind. Formerly known as SMACKIN’ ISIAH, these guys already have a handful of releases under their belts, including the excellent full-length, “The Benefits of Thinking Out Loud” (Jumpstart Records). In hindsight, “Benefits…” was a solid primer in documenting the musical talent these guys had lurking within, but the band kinda felt like a unit that was more “patched together” than strictly cohesive, with strong, diverse influences, such as HOT WATER MUSIC, BOY SETS FIRE and who else knows what. On “Mute Print,” A WILHELM SCREAM bring together all of their potential, and crank it out of the fucking ballpark. The last time I felt a similar adrenaline rush as “Mute Print” gave me on the first listen was probably on my introduction to STRUNG OUT’s “Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues;” arguably one of the best releases of 90s, and a defining release in the history of Fat Records. Key to A WILHELM SCREAM’s rage is a batch of lyrics that tee-off with an intense passion that festers with both hatred and introspection. Trevor Reilly is the band’s chief songwriter, and his wittiness seems exponential on “Mute Print” as each song marches forward. This disc reaches a thunderous pinnacle on the sixth track, called “The Rip,” where A WILHELM SCREAM drop one of the most severe breakdowns ever known to man. Hyperbolic? Somewhat, but I’m 100% right. Helloooooo mix tape, you have a new entry. “Mute Print” was recorded at the Blasting Room with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, and this disc is the largest sounding thing that has ever come out of there. Stevenson and Livermore definitely capture the supercharged energy of A WILHELM SCREAM, and I dig the way the dual guitars shred through the air with precision and cutthroat instincts. The recording quality also does great justice to the massive multipart vocals that these guys use to fill in their choruses, not unlike STRIKE ANYWHERE. “Mute Print” plays like one unrelenting conflagration of vitriol and hard wired musical skill. Each run through takes away 33 minutes of your life, but I imagine that the additional brain stimuli is more than a worthy reward. “Mute Print” might just be the disc you’ve been waiting your entire life to hear, and is an early contender for the best release of 2004.

Nitro

www.nitrorecords.com