Four guys, three chords, two guitars, and one bored record reviewer. I should probably tackle this one from the point of view of the record buyer who just can't wait to hear what's going on in the world of traditional punk. But I can't help wondering why-- when we have more sounds and tools for expression available to us than at any time in history-- these guys would want to record the kind of knucklehead rock that was already tired when I was in elementary school. Didn't Napalm Death put an end to all this shit? And what's up with the guitar solos?

All right, in their favor, Consumed do attempt to cover emotional ground usually verboten in this kind of music. The chorus on "Sunnyside Up" goes, "I love you/ I just love every single thing about you," and I don't think they're being ironic. And then there's "Wake Up with a Smile," a song which offers a line like, "I like to watch her/ While she's sleeping." So why are these true-love confessions delivered with a scream that makes you think the singer's reaming Nike for underpaying Malaysian garment workers? Because, that's punk, tough guy. And if a punk band deviates from the punk formula, they're called "sell-outs" and they turn into Green Day or something.

While those lovey-dovey songs sound just plain stupid, I have to admit that Consumed are a relatively tight band with energy, and some of their angrier rants do come across. "On the Take Again," "Promoter Head" and "Black and Blue" offer ample aggression, and I wouldn't reach for the eject button if someone were to put one of these on a mix tape. Also, this album is only 34 minutes long, so that's kind of a bonus. What baffles me is, at little over two minutes a cut, how did they still find time to interject the guitar solos?

-Mark Richard-San