July 1, 2003 - Hot Damn!

It's a double release day! Two years since "Last Night In Town", Every Time I Die released their second album "Hot Damn!" on July 1, 2003. Aaron Ratajczak has left the band so ETID are on to their third bassist already with Stephen Micciche taking over bass duties. They're still playing the same style of metalcore though and the longest song on this album is just 3:11 as they fire through ten songs in a little over 27 minutes! Let's see what their latest has to offer! 

The album begins with "Romeo A Go-Go" and it alternates nicely between a pretty speedy verse, and a slower breakdown of a chorus. Andy Williams and Jordan Buckley both play some pretty cool guitar and Keith Buckley does some high screams in the verse and switches to some high, almost pop-y singing in the chorus. It's an interesting combo but it's pretty catchy for something so heavy! I thought this was a solid way to kick things off. Up next is "Off Broadway" and like most songs on this album it's main riff fits the formula of some pretty speedy and heavy metal with lots of fast and cool guitars leading the way and a relentless rhythm section to match. The chorus sounds the same as last song when I say they slow it down for a nice breakdown of a chorus with Keith singing in a high pop-y voice again, but I assure you it's a completely different breakdown even though it too hits nice and hard. And also like most songs on this album, it's over after a couple rounds in under three minutes! Track 3 is "I Been Gone A Long Time" and words are not doing justice already when I say this song fits the album formula: it's a fast-paced, headbanger of a main riff with some pretty sweet guitar keeping things interesting the whole way through! The chorus is super groovy and super catchy and my head is banging and toe is tapping to this pretty cool metalcore! After another cool round we get some very unexpected cow bell as they shift to a new riff for the final minute, but it's quite a well done transition and a pretty cool, rolling guitar riff to take us to the end of the song. The next track is "Godspeed Us To Sea" and they fire right into yet another cool main riff that is mostly fast, but also has some nice slower parts to break things up and keep you guessing. The high guitars in the chorus sound fantastic as Keith screams/yells constantly overtop and it makes the return to the lower verse hit nice and hard. Micciche is playing some pretty great bass as well and when the guitars stop for a second you really get to notice the cool stuff he's playing the background the whole time! All these short songs are excellent bursts of metal, but you almost want ones like this to be longer, it ended too soon! Track 5 is the shortest song on the album at a mere 1:48 and it's called "She's My Rushmore" and it might be the fastest song yet! It's a relentless verse that sounds pretty great, which means when they slow it down for the chorus things sound nice and heavy. There's a slow, quiet part with no guitars and just Micciche playing some nice bass while Keith sings softly, then they fire right into a final verse to wrap up this pretty awesome little tune! Up next is "Floater" and it's got a fairly catchy main riff that goes from low to high, and the high notes are piercing and sound pretty cool. Keith fires right into another fast verse overtop and if you like the non-stop bombardment of cool guitars and half-yelling/half-screaming vocals, then ETID might be for you! There isn't really a chorus on this song as they just continue to roll with the main riff until they turn up the heaviness for the final round for a great finish! Track 7 is titled "In The Event That Everything Should Go Terribly Wrong" and it's unlike most songs on this album; it actually doesn't fit the formula! It's driven by a slow but decent guitar riff that is a bit repetitive and it's largely an instrumental song. Michael Novak plays a cool drum beat throughout this one and Keith does add some super high, super quiet vocals to the mix and this is definitely an interesting break from ETID's usual thing. It's still probably the worst song on the album, but if that's the case then we're doing pretty well! The next song is called "Ebolarama" and they jump right into a fast, offbeat and really cool main guitar riff before the rest of the guys come thundering in behind with a speedy rhythm section and some more solid screaming by Keith. The chorus riff is pretty phenomenal, I love the unpredictability and how it keeps you on the edge of your seat! Keith sounds pretty good when it puts some high, pop-y emphasis on a couple notes and the guitars are just non-stop awesome metal the whole three minutes. Right back to the good stuff! Track 9 is "Hit Of The Search Party" and we're back to the formula, which some might find a little repetitive, but when your formula is this awesome and every song is a unique and interesting, fast-paced riff, you can sign me up all day long, and this one is no different as words don't do proper justice. The lyrics reveal that it's not a friendly search party either as Keith screams "when we find you, we'll skin you alive". It's all very creepy and horror-esque and overtop some pretty jagged and scary sounding guitars I love the vibes this song has going on! The album wraps up with "Pornogratherapy" and it's another wicked and catchy main guitar riff that is all over the place and really cool, you know, just the norm for these guys! The chorus has some more great guitars, but is led by Keith doing dual vocals, one singing and one screaming and although it couldn't be replicated live it still sounds pretty sweet to hear him do both at once. It's another well above average song and a pretty nice way to finish things off.

That is the end of "Hot Damn!" and I thought it was a pretty sweet album by Every Time I Die! It is formulaic, but they have cooked up a pretty awesome formula that contains tons of great guitars, lots of nice breakdown choruses and some pretty versatile vocals by Keith Buckley. I think it's easily better than their debut "Last Night In Town" and I look forward to seeing if ETID can continue to improve!