Not many bands stick around for five or six years, but Comeback Kid is one that just doesn’t give up. Comeback Kid has been around for about 14 years and has released four studio albums to date. It’s been four years since the last album, but now the band is ready to unveil what it has been up to since then. This mystery happens to be Die Knowing, which is to be released on March 4 through Victory Records. This Canadian five-piece hardcore band from Winnipeg, MB., has been dormant but now has a monster of an album to wake up with.
The first track, the title track, is simply an intro that sets the mood for the entire album. There isn’t much in regards to technicality going on, but the heavy chugs and passionate screams are a good indicator of what’s to come for the next half hour. The entire album is divided between old-school Comeback Kid and the sounds of the newer releases – or sometimes even a mix of both. Most of the first half, including tracks such as “Lower the Line,” “Losing Sleep” and “Somewhere In This Miserable…,” all draw a lot of influence from New York-style hardcore and is mixed with the band’s sound from Symptoms + Cures. Other tracks such as “Should Know Better,” “Unconditional” and “Didn’t Even Mind” are all tracks that will throw you back to the Wake the Dead days with melodic guitar riffs, catchy choruses and a ton of gang chants.
In regards to the music, the tone and production of Die Knowing is spot on. As I mentioned earlier, the guitar work is very similar to New York-style hardcore with lots of chugging followed by short bursts of intense riffage to keep the blood flowing; however, this isn’t all Comeback Kid has to offer. On certain tracks, such as “Unconditional” and “Sink In,” there are melodic riffs to break up the consistent chugging. The drumming on Die Knowing isn’t spectacular or technical, but it gets the job done and sounds great, so there isn’t anything to complain about. This album isn’t without its surprises, though, as the second to last track features guest vocals from none other than the original vocalist of Comeback Kid, who – not surprisingly – sounds great in the track.
Altogether, Comeback Kid has created a solid, enjoyable album. While there is absolutely nothing new or original here, it is still worth the listen – or twenty. If you enjoyed any of the albums that the band has released, then you will certainly find something on Die Knowing that you will enjoy. Even if you have never listened to Comeback Kid before, this is an excellent album to start with. The tracks that you need to listen to are “Should Know Better” and “Didn’t Even Mind.” Be sure to check out Comeback Kid on the upcoming album release tour (with Backtrack, Xibalba, Downpresser and To the Wind) and support the band if you like what you hear.
