Canada’s Cancer Bats bring their fifth full album filled with volume and energy. Does all the volume pay off?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BexQnJ8Vgs
https://vimeo.com/121737946
Text Review:
There are unsung heroes in the rock scene that have been around for years but may never get the credit they deserve, simply because they haven’t been heard by all the right people. We all have favorite artists and albums that feel like hidden treasures because they aren’t played every hour on the radio.
The Cancer Bats may just be one of the most energetic and lively bands that you will love discovering. Since the band’s formation in 2004, there have been four full length albums not including theis year’s new release, two separate Juno award nominations, and some of the catchiest rhythms and song writing you will ever hear.
Their new album Searching for Zero is unique in that the recording process is something that usually isn’t done. The band made several Making of Searching for Zero episodes on YouTube describing the recording process and what all was involved, such as recording one track per day from start to finish, and how that got them so excited by the end of each day with the buzz about it, and also how the mixing of feedback and layers added so much more depth to the album.
After remaining silent for a while, the band posted on their website: For Those of you who didn’t know, the reason we’ve been gone for so long was to craft our 5th full length! We worked our tsss off making a serious banger that we should all party the ssss out of! We even went down to Venice Beach to record with Ross Robinson so it would sound extra dope……which it does!”
There have been several music videos released for tracks of Searching for Zero. Just watching the energy in their performance and hearing their sound will give you proof of their style and what to expect in this album
The drum track on this album is amazing. From the opening minute you can tell that Cancer Bats know how to make a rhythm and keep it at full speed. The vocals are raspy and loud and match perfectly with the music. The chorus is memorable and it’s the type of song you go back to as soon as you are done listening to it.
This is the type of rock and punk that makes you feel alive. The extra time spent with Ross Robinson and the long days of layering tracks has proven to work in songs like Satellites. Everything you hear in songs like this feels like the perfect equation of the right factors all summed together.
As you listen to the duration of this album you can tell these Canadians became a little experimental with their style. But by jumping in with both feet, they found a way to not only swim, but to also propel and thrive in new territory.
The guitars in True Zero give this instant memory of hearing opening bands at live shows pour their heart out for people. There is so much passion synced up with the music that it’s hard to forget. This is gritty and raw and there is a perfect atmosphere of being int he moment and hearing this live.
While going from beginning to end on Searching To Zero, I admit I did start to get a bit of a head rush while listening to so much volume. Hearing the same speed and intensity for thirty minutes can sometimes affect you oddly. That’s not to say that everyone will feel that way though. Because track by track, this is something that can easily be appreciated by any hardcore or punk fan.
Cancer Bats are the type of band people should root for. They are the passionate musicians who not only care about their material, but are willing to work themselves to the bone to produce something worth standing behind.
Overall, Searching For Zero is an album to look into if you want to feel alive and live loud. It’s the type of album you play in your car and completely forget about how long your drive is. This album is the perfect example of what passion and patience can produce.
