Frodus are going through some tough times. The times are so tough for Frodus, in fact, that they no longer exist together as Frodus, at least for the time being. Just after they recorded And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea, their sixth full-length as a trio over six years, tragedy befell some of those close to two of the band's members. The girlfriend of drummer Jason Hamacher died of cancer, inspiring him to journey from Frodus' D.C. home to South America by himself to heal and recover from his loss. Furthermore, guitarist Shelby Cinca began to focus not only on other musical projects, but also on family affairs after his father had a stroke.

Following this state of affairs, I'd feel kind of guilty about badmouthing the guys. The good news, then, is that I don't really have anything bad to say about their latest record. What does irk me, though, is the post-breakup deification that their surrounding hype seems to bestow upon them. Maybe it's just their official press at work, but any time I read or hear a mention of Frodus and/or their new record, along come words like "revolutionary," "redefining," "brilliant," and "monumental."

I find this status to be inaccurate. Frodus could easily be mistaken for several other bands. Unwound comes to mind, maybe Fugazi, At the Drive-In, on occasion, and even early Nine Inch Nails on a track here. They aren't monumental by any means. Maybe they were helping pioneer the sound in their own way when they started out in '94, and maybe their sound has matured over the years. Regardless, there's nothing truly new about the sound that comprises their latest effort.

Still, And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea is a solid record. "Red Bull of Juarez," one of the most driving tracks in store, opens with Nathan Burke's growling bassline and ends up energizing, not unlike the beverage which partially shares its title. The melodic, dynamic and slightly mathy "The Earth Isn't Humming" follows as the album's definite highlight. Later, the instrumental "Hull Crush Depth" effectively supplies a heavy dose of moody Reznor-esque programmed beats and overall ambience layered with treated distorted guitars. Meanwhile, "Year of the Hex" features an endurance test in throat-fracturing screaming, as well as a pulsing rhythm of two contrasting beats capably provided by Hamacher. Each track is enjoyable to its own degree and in its own right.

Hype is hype, though, and this record has plenty of it, overblown and exaggerated every which way. It's sort of hard to hear something with a subjective point of view when what you expect is an innovative, mind-blowing masterpiece, and what you get is just a pretty good post-punk record. So accept the simple fact that it's sad how events can turn tragic and steal away egomaniacal press releases and glittering hyperbole; And We Washed Our Weapons in the Sea is just that: a pretty good post-punk record. You like that sort of thing, right?

-Spencer Owen