By Mitch Holt, Special Contributor
The Hurt Process: Drive By Monologue
Victory Records – Release: March 23, 2004
Straight out of the U.K., The Hurt Process brings the rock and screams of broken hearts and painful love endings. The band formed two years ago and released their debut Loudspeaker Records E.P., Another Day, within six months. The E.P. was met with ravings from publications such as Metal Hammer and Rocksound.
The Hurt Process is known for touring like crazy. This on-the-road mindset first earned them considerable popularity in Europe, closely followed by international exposure. The band landed themselves a record deal with Maple Productions in L.A., the label that first released Drive By Monologue in October of 2003.
On March 23, 2004, Victory Records re-released Drive By Monologue. The album is almost too diverse. It sounds as if three different band members took turns writing each song. Their hardcore and indie roots are delivered effectively, but the numetal-esque twist to each song brings the quality of the music down tremendously.
“Haven’t I heard this before?” was my first thought upon listening to the album. The band indecisively straddles the originality line. Pop-indie seems to be invading the radio and CD players as of lately. If I had my say, I would encourage them to emphasize their strengths just become a hardcore band. The potential is definitely there; they just need to figure out what they want to achieve musically and go with it.
Drive By Monologue is lyrically solid. Poetic and meaningful, the album speaks of the pain and aggression that comes with broken relationships. I haven’t heard this much lyrical pain since Dashboard Confessional’s first album.
Track 9, “The Beast Sails In,” is the brightest point on this album. This song is energetic and speedy with several brilliant hardcore breakdowns thrown in, but still does not escape the radio rock sound that has become a musical clich’.
Drive By Monologue is an album for radio listeners, but has the potential to be just as accommodating to hardcore fans. If you like raw vocals, four chord guitar riffs, and the occasional hardcore breakdown, listen to The Hurt Process. Otherwise, don’t bother.
