The Lincoln Log

What happens when you have a band that disregards every musical restriction? You get The Blood Brother’s new album, “Young Machetes.” Originality is hard to come by these days, and if a musical group is original, they’re usually awful. The Blood Brothers defies all those odds in “Young Machetes,” their fifth CD following “Crimes,” which comes out October 10, 2006.

The members of this Seattle band are singer Jordan Blilie, drummer Mark Gajadhar, bass and keyboard player Morgan Henderson, guitarist Cody Votolato, and singer and keyboard player Johnny Whitney. This CD is a combination of high-pitched, ear-piercing vocals and aggressive guitar riffs. If you like their previous CDs, then you’re bound to love this one.

“Young Machetes” is a great album, filled with intense penetrating vocals, fast drumming and surreal lyrics. You know they’re going to bring on the hardcore rock. Their sugar-high shrieks and their lyrical madness make this CD even more volatile and worth listening to. This band is constantly outdoing themselves album after album. With better lyrics and faster tempos, they’ve proved that for them, the sky is their limit.

The extreme contrast between the frantic screams and mellow vocals about two octaves lower in Jordan Blilie and Johnny Whitney’s voices are complimentary to each other. This band is amazing and original; they can’t even be classified into a certain genre because of their unique voices and music style. They frequently switch back and forth from chaotic hellish cries to slow tempo melodies in songs like “Camouflage, Camouflage”. There are also songs like “Rat Rider” that make you feel like you’re amidst toddlers with ADHD eating bags of sugar. Listening to this band is like going on an acid trip, without the acid, of course.

Whether you’re looking for a no-gimmicks band that is both experimental and brutal, yet catchy with clever lyrics, or you’re a raging teen looking for an alternative to anger your parents to the extent of losing it, look no further. Feel free to turn up the volume and enjoy. The Blood Brothers is your band.

5 out of 5 stars