Too Pure To Die is a hardcore band from the American state of Iowa. ‘Confidence and Consequence’ is the bands début album which originally surfaced in late 2006. Since then the band has changed its singer however and when Trustkill Records got hold of the album it was their opinion that the album just had to be re-released complete with new singer Paul on vocal duties. So ‘Confidence and Consequence’ is back complete with a new mix, new mastering, and a brand new bonus track also in the form of ‘What’s Left’. It was an excellent decision to re-release this album I feel and in doing so more people will surely hear this exceptional début album that is ‘Confidence and Consequence’.
Title track ‘Confidence and Consequence’ kicks it all off and none of the tracks on display here are in the slightest bit disappointing. The music is highly energetic, the vocals are brutally shouted, and the guitar riffs boom through with great vigour. Throughout the ten tracks of this album not once does this band disappoint and always in fact the music is absolutely excellent. The guitars possess such great power, the vocals are spot on, and every element of the music just seems to come together perfectly here. Hardcore bands often fall into the trap of sounding all too generic, this is certainly not the case with Too Pure To Die however and always on this album there is a great energy running through it all, a fantastic passion shown on behalf of the band which provides for an excellent listening experience.
All of the tracks on this album sit comfortably around the three minute mark, the vocals always come bellowing powerfully through and always it is the guitars that make the music so brilliant. Two guitarists are present in this band, each of them excellent and always contributing magnificently to the brilliance of Too Pure To Die. The guitars and vocals are always at the forefront of the bands sound, the drums take a bit of a back seat and are nowhere near as important in creating the epic sound of this band. Occasionally the drum beats can be heard protruding through and when they do the sound that can be heard it brilliant, there can be no denying the excellence of this bands drummer but in truth it is most certainly the vocals and guitars that are here most stunning.
The album clocks in at a grand total of half an hour in length, brand new bonus song ‘What’s Left’ is the track that is given the honour of bringing the album to its close. The sound that is here created is actually quite different to that of the rest of the album, there’s a change in vocal approach here and the vocals become much more of a growl. Throughout this album the music is extremely heavy but here the band takes the brutality up a notch and the intensity of it all becomes even greater. Cymbals are integrated into the sound more freely here and the drums therefore become more noticeable and vital to the music. It comes as quite a shock to the system this one, for all of the album we have been used to hearing a similar sound and here this all changes for one final moment of extreme aggression. It works well I feel and signifies supremely the intended future direction of this band now that a new vocalist has been integrated into the line-up. There is no doubt in my mind that with all further albums from Too Pure To Die, the vocals will possess much more of a growl about them.
‘Confidence and Consequence’ is an excellent album from Too Pure To Die, a brilliant début offering which has here been supremely remastered. For all fans of hardcore and metal I’d definitely recommend the music of Too Pure To Die, there’s a great energy about the music and something about the sound that this band produces which makes it all excellent to hear. Not one of these ten tracks disappoints, the final track on the album provides an interesting change and always the music enthrals. This album is a big and bold offering of hardcore, the guitar riffs provide a menacing metal presence and never does this band show and signs of slowing down throughout the albums half hour duration. The music is fast and fun, it will not appeal to all but it will certainly appeal to many; it’s heavy enough to please hardened fans of the genre, but also approachable enough to appeal to casual listeners of hardcore and metal alike.
Label: Trustkill Records
Release Date: 28th January 2008
Rating:
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
