Sadly enough, most hardcore albums released these days are tolerable at best. Plagued by subpar lyric writing, nonsensical vocals and dull instrumentals, it can be said that the genre has been lacking something as of late. Although it’s not the most memorable release to ever drop, the Cancer Bats’ latest effort “Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones” definitely surpasses the level of just tolerable.
“Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones” is not your standard hardcore album through and through. The band — Liam Cormier (vocals), Scott Middleton, Mike Peters (drums) and Jaye Schwarzer (bass) — does a good job of incorporating punk rock, hardcore, metal and even gives off a Southern rock vibe at times.
For the most part, Cormier literally assaults listeners with deep vocals that are mostly screamed, if not growled. The album’s opening track “Sleep This Away” is a brutal beginning, demonstrating the band’s ability to produce hard-hitting hardcore tracks. On songs such as “Doomed To Fail” and “Raised Right,” the band tones it down a bit. Cormier’s voice slows at parts to the point of speaking, which adds some diversity to this otherwise hostile release.
Even though Cancer Bats have created some pretty intense and unique music on this one, their lyrics could be considered mediocre at best. The lyrics on “Mayors, Scraps & Bones” are repetitive and lack any type of substance when it comes down to it. However, it isn’t the profound lyrics that draw most hardcore listeners to this genre. It is the gritty music and aggressive style that really resonate with fans, and luckily the band accomplishes that quite well.
Rating: W W
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