The Color of Violence

It's hard to tell if The Color of Violence take themselves seriously. In fact, it's hard to figure them out at all. Everything from the song titles to the drum beats of their debut album Youthanize speak to their schizophrenic musical sensibility. Although formed by Travis Richter and Derek Bloom of From First to Last, The Color of Violence explodes in a totally different style from the former.

Kicking off with a crushing cover of The Pixies' "Rock Music," Youthanize follows through with a barrage of frantic angled notes and a raw percussion. Song titles like "God Gave Me Deeze Nutz" and "Me and My Enormous Spiritual Erection" might give the pretense that The Color of Violence might be goofing off, but it's not the case. Shrieking vocals on "Christina, Christina" temper the searing guitar licks and cruising base of the preceding title track. As a whole, Youthanize changes so frequently and dramatically, at times it seems more like a collection of leftovers than a coherent record. There's a touch of dynamic musicianship throughout, and the lingering dance groove at the end of "Un Cool" gives a hint at the progressive.

Twitchy and extreme, The Color of Violence gazes at punk rock through a kaleidescope. By never attaching a label to themselves or their creation, they have nothing to lose. Youthanize is unlikely to find a home in the hearts of the purists, but instead in the most spacey of hardcore junkies.

—Alex Walmsley
04.12.09