A Wilhelm Scream brings a style that sounds like a heavier mix of Rise Against, A Day To Remember, and Blink-182 with their newest release “Partycrasher”. Though the sound of the band resembles those of other punk rock bands, A Wilhelm Scream is able to completely represent themselves as an individual group that can stand out from the rest.
The punk genre has a wide range of different styles where the pop side of the genre seems to dominate over the rest. A Wilhelm Scream brings a very refreshing and heavy sound with “Partycrasher” by creating a personally nostalgic atmosphere of punk rock. The band mixes styles of rock, metal, hardcore, and alternative into almost every song which creates an amazing and entertaining album for any fan of modern punk.
“Partycrasher” brings the heavy punk rock vibe back from the dead with their songs of rebellion and non-conformity that will make listeners think back to albums like Rise Against’s “Revolutions Per Minute”. The instrumentation of the album has classic fast-paced punk feel but with a hardcore twist adding much more originality to the band’s overall sound. Many of the songs keep things interesting with sparse odd time signatures, drums that are played as if part of a metal band, and a very alternative rock lead singer voice to send the message of anarchy and self-defiance.
Although on paper it may seem like a mix-matched bunch of styles, the way in which A Wilhelm Scream puts it all together makes things very easy for the listener to enjoy. The band took a sound that most people are familiar with and modernized it, bringing something new to the table and creating the feel of old school punk rock while keeping things current with their heavier sound but still identifiable punk style.
When it comes to failures on the album, the list is pretty short. And by pretty short I mean that there is no list. If you’ve read my other reviews, you know that I always try to keep an objective point of view and make sure my personal opinion does no affect the way I review an album. Well this is only the second time while analyzing an album that I have nothing to complain about. The band keeps a very consistent sound from start to finish while keeping each song distinct and memorable.
If I were to get very picky, the only thing I might criticize is that every song on the album is fast-paced and has a certain tone to it. This would be more of a problem if the style and sound of A Wilhelm Scream didn’t fully justify the tone of the songs, but they do. The style comes off as consistent and intentional rather than repetitive or monotonous.
Overall, this is an album I recommend 100%. “Partycrasher” kicks things off with a familiar yet current style of a heavy punk rock sound. If you are tired of the easygoing pop-punk bands that are all over the music scene, get your hands on this album and embrace the fact that absolutely incredible music is still out there! This is an album that I feel would make the most critical of punk fans very proud to see that the genre still lives on, and may be better than ever.
Rating: 10/10
-Nic