Society's Finest

You wouldn't know it from their moniker, which inspires thought's of some really bad punk band, but Society's Finest is an incredibly proficient metal/hardcore (emphasis on the metal) act from the depths of Texas. The Journey So Far is their first offering on Solid State and mines the same territory that Coalesce, Cave In and Converge (the three C's of metalcore) have made popular, but is done with proficiency and an enthusiasm that belies their lack of originality. Down-tuned riffing is coupled with a copious amount of thrash runs, death metal dirge, the odd serene moment and, occasionally, a more humorus slant; after all, how many hc/metal bands would throw handclaps into their songs? While the Coalesce influence is the most dominate on The Journey So Far, there are a number of excellent tracks ("1955," "Marshall Reality" and "Kiss The Girls") that demonstrate that Society's Finest can hang, if not innovate, with the big boys. Still, while The Journey So Far is an adequate starting point for this quintet, who's roster includes former Embodyment screamer Josh Ashworth, their next musical endeavour must take them farther than The Journey... if they wish to rise above second tier status.