MegaSoul's Full Review: Brand New Sin by Brand New Sin
The Style
Brand New Sin's debut is essentially blues-infused heavy metal. Imagine a more melodic version of Pantera (such as Corrosion of Conformity or Down) and you've got Brand New Sin's basic sound pegged.
The Line-Up
Joe Altier: Lead Vocals
Kris Wiechmann: Guitar
Chuck Kahl: Bass
Slider: Guitar & Vocals
Ken Dunham: Guitar
The Titles
1. "Intro"
2. "Broken Soul"
3. "My World"
4. "Desperate Times Desperate Means"
5. "Sad Wings"
6. "The Oath"
7. "Missin You"
8. "SPP"
9. "Did You?"
10. "Judgement Day"
11. "Changes"
12. "Shattered"
Songs To Look Out For (What tunes should hook listeners the fastest?)
* "Sad Wings"
* "My World"
* "Broken Soul"
The Final Word
Hailing from Syracuse, New York, Brand New Sin is largely comprised of former members from Godbelow, a local metalcore band. When Godbelow decided to take their sound and image in a new direction they crossed paths with gritty vocal guru Joe Altier and officially formed Brand New Sin, which is self-described as the "birth of something bad and the epitome of gluttony." Sounds like rock n' roll.
Both vocally and musically, the band could easily sound like yet another Pantera wannabe, but luckily they take the higher road and add a decidedly bluesy edge to their style. This is especially evident on "Missin You," a decent acoustic tune that only suffers from decidedly straight-forward, cliché lyrics: "Well it's been so long since I last seen your face. The day you left without a trace. Wiped that smile right off my face. Girl, I'm missin' you," Altier sings. Meanwhile, the listener feels déjà vu. Haven't we heard these lines uttered dozens of times before?
Brand New Sin is evidently out for a hard rock, GN'R-like image for the 2000s (they may not be sipping booze on the back cover, but they do appear to be suffering from hellish hangovers—always a plus for the hard rock image). In fact, guitarist Ken Dunham explicitly states in the album's press release, "This record will make you want to play air guitar in front of the mirror again, like Appetite For Destruction." Hold it right there, Ken. Name-dropping does not a classic album make. Regardless, the three guitars chug and wail when they needs to, creating a great alternative to the vast majority of nü-metal infesting radio waves. But Brand New Sin isn't reinventing the wheel here. Rather, they are following in the footsteps of bands like C.O.C. and sound like a more diverse and musically mature version of Flybanger.
While the disc does have some excellent tracks ("My World," "SPP," "Broken Soul") and indeed, one exceptional track ("Sad Wings") Brand New Sin isn't without its skippers. "Desperate Times Desperate Means" and "The Oath" are skull crushers, but in the end they are interchangeable with every other heavy tune on the market. Brand New Sin are at their best when they focus on combining their natural raw sound with big, melodic choruses. This style is used on about half the disc, making for a generally fulfilling listening experience.
Lyrically, the band is at their most impressive when they offer cryptic messages, such as on "Sad Wings": "My eyes were blind to lies you told me. Hidden scars you thought they hold me. Leave me helpless and all alone. Saddened wings blood soaked and stained. You fooled me once I broke these chains. Now I'm standing here on my own." But for every "Sad Wings" there is a "Judgement Day": "Thought you were the man. Soon you will come to find you can't turn water into wine. And then we will all see you & your misery. You better save yourself, boy." Co-written by Altier and Slider, Brand New Sin would be a stronger album with more focused songwriting, which often comes with experience. Time will tell if they are in the business for the long haul.
Produced and recorded locally in Liverpool, New York and released on indie label Now Or Never Records, Brand New Sin is an impressive debut—one of the better hard rock debuts I've heard in several years—but the mediocre tracks serve to negate the band's best efforts, making a release that is absolutely worth a look but isn't everything it could have been.
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