Occasionally, an album comes along that is next to impossible to make a decision about. The Chariot has created just such an album.
Josh Scogin, former lead singer of hardcore troubadours Norma Jean, has grouped himself with four other young men to create The Chariot. They are among the latest groups to be added to Solid State Records, a label that promotes hardcore acts with a Christian influence. Some people would say that means they can't make good music. These people need to get their facts straight.
The Chariot, as stated above, has created an anomaly in their debut, "Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead and Nothing Is Bleeding." The title itself shows carry-over from Norma Jean to The Chariot. Scogin brought along his propensity to write titles the length of which exceed the parameters of comfort. They are nonetheless intriguing. Personal favorites include "Yellow Dress: Locked Knees" and "If Wishes Were Horses, More Beggars Would Ride Them."
Scogin's lyrics actually show growth since his time with Norma Jean, not that his writing wasn't already excellent. He has, however, gone from simply catchy phrases which reveal very little about his life to more telling one-liners.
"I didn't know this fuse was for the end of it all/With a grin and a flame I watch the glory ... A smile escapes because my closet holds no bones." The lyrics to this song actually contain only eight more words than the title, "Someday, in the Event that Mankind Actually Figures Out What It Is That This World Revolves Around, Thousands of People Are Going To Be Shocked and Perplexed To Find Out That It Was Not Them.
Sometimes This Includes Me."
Once the purchaser of the album gets around to listening to it, he or she finds the roughest recording by a group of such stature that one is likely to come across. The band states in the liner notes that this was intentional. They recorded the entire album in a live setting in as few takes as possible. No computer programs, no overlaying tracks, no gimmicks.
This approach makes for a harsh listen with pronounced feedback filling in every guitar break. This facet to the album makes it a love-it-or-leave-it situation. If you like barely controlled quasi-cacophony, then feast your ears. If that high pitch gets to you, leave this one on the shelf, because it's relentless.
There aren't many moments on the disc that will drag the listener back for more. It doesn't fit under the heading of "catchy." There is also nothing especially innovative about the group's style. It's a lot like what a Norma Jean fan would expect. The potential impact of the album lies in the group's recording approach, which is a statement in itself. If it catches on, the scene could get a lot filthier, real quick-like.
