Emerging from the dark corners of Los Angeles, Calif., Rotting Out is a five piece hardcore band that is back to release their second album, which is entitled The Wrong Way, on May 7th. Rotting Out has made their way to the top of the food chain in the hardcore scene with just one EP and one album release. They are known for their anger-driven music and hostility towards society.
The first track, “The Wrong Way,” begins with the sounds of skateboards much in the style of the previous album, Street Prowl, with the sounds of an engine cranking and a radio cutting on. These sounds quickly give way to a chugging guitar and up-tempo drum beat that you will become very familiar with over the next 26 minutes. The fast, in-your-face, angry vocals from the front man make an entrance here accompanied by the backup vocals from the bassist. The vocals on The Wrong Way have barely changed from their last effort, but considering the intensity that they bring, this can’t be called a detriment.
The third track, “One Last Kiss,” has a guitar riff that is all over the place and will shake and crack the very foundation of your house. The tone and riffs of the guitar is very similar to the previous album as well, but like the vocals, I can’t complain about it. The drum work that is played throughout the entire album isn’t the most original work, but it gets the job done while still maintaining a better than great sound.
The fifth and sixth tracks, respectively titled “Stab” and “The Shoot Out”, are two of my favorites from the album. “Stab” has some of the best lyrics that Rotting Out has written to date about a boy who constantly watches domestic violence between his father and mother and has had enough. “He saw his mom slapped and it pinned back his eyelids” always gets my blood pumping whenever I hear it. “The Shoot Out” is a song on The Wrong Way that sounds quite different from the rest. The vocal style during the verses are choppy and rough to create a spastic sound. If you have not listened to this single, I would advise you to stop whatever you’re doing and go listen to it.
The final track, “Bangarang,” is a slow(er) song on The Wrong Way, but when the vocalist screams “Make me the kid that conquers the world,” it gets you moving regardless. Like Street Prowl, the album ends with a random sound clip of another song completely unrelated, but here it seems like an appropriate ending to a brutal album that causes each bone in your body to turn the jelly once it’s over.
Rotting Out has taken their unique sound from Street Prowl that boosted them into the spotlight, and also tweaked and perfected all of the little quirks that it had to create a perfect sophomore release. Each track by itself contains everything fans of Rotting Out will ever desire and the entire album will blow minds. The pounding drums, heavy guitar riffs and hate-fueled vocals leave me wishing that the album could be just a little longer. The highlights of the album are “Stab,” “The Shoot Out” and “No Clue.”
With all of its merits and traits, The Wrong Way will be revered by many as an essential hardcore album that any fan of the genre must own. It’s no surprise that Rotting Out continues to hold their place as one of the best in the hardcore scene. Be sure to buy the album if you enjoyed it because this band deserves every cent of it.
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