Killing For Friday

Okay, so straight out of the gate it has to be said that Killing For Friday aren't reinventing the wheel. In fact, many of the most lauded emo clichés can be found here: lower case letters, long song titles ("Lydia You Can't Die, You're Already Dead"), distorted guitars collapsing into pretty, clean, plucked guitar breakdowns - yup, it's all here. But, that said, there are some redeemable qualities. The song structures, while definitely playing with some of their predecessors' tricks, aren't completely run of the mill and frequently surprise with the infusion of an original idea. The tempo also keeps things interesting, being more intense and driving than often allowed in the genre. The vocals of Peter Johnson wail, bark and break under the weight of the songs, creating a sense of catharsis often aimed for but rarely achieved by others. There's a lot to like about this record, if you can get past the preconceived notions of the genre and actually give the disc a chance.