Campfire songs turned fully-fledged specimens of refreshed punk music.
Months trapped in a van cruising down the interstate in the middle of nowhere will inevitably spark creativity due to sheer boredom, but rarely do such escapades produce anything of a finer quality then mere highway sing songs to pass the time, the kind of songs you would sit around a campfire to sing and a far cry from those of high enough quality to make it into a record. A Wilhelm Scream, however, had no choice while on tour promoting and releasing their invigorating debut onto an unsuspecting world, which took to them by storm and very quickly rendered them one of the 'must-hears' of the year. Touring may be crucial but it comes with sacrifices, mainly the sacrificing of comfortable studios or familiar practise rooms or basements but that did not affect the flow of inspirational ideas and the creation of more astounding and energetic riffs to wow their fan base. Trapped and laid down on tape recorder, songs were recorded and developed on the go, leaking a sense of urgency and energy into the music.
The result of this is fourteen unusual, driving and unique tracks consisting of unorthodox arrangements of punk and metal blended together with a melody that far surpasses the success of their previous record. The album is bursting with energy that speeds on with amazing agility often causing the music to seem as if it has ended too soon, giving birth to a desire to listen to the tracks again and again to gain higher appreciation of the sheer skill behind those riffs. It's a chaotic yet flawlessly skilled show of harmonized guitar riffs, literary lyrics packed with grating ferocious urgency by the lead singer, backed with smooth melodic backing vocals to aid the pacing thundering rhythms of the bass. It is unknown exactly how, at the incredible speed and velocity it is played at, why all of the features blend and hold together so well, and is likely to remain a well guarded secret of the band for a long time to come. The explosive first track kicks off with a mellow sounding yet energetic and ecstatic series of riffs that lays down the heavily addictive heart of the music, constant driving melodic rhythms and the heavy thundering of the bass in the background, creating a laid back, chilled out mood. A mood that inevitably contradicts the nature of the song itself, a lament for the restrictions of life within the arts and seemingly a story of betrayal for the lyrics seem almost resentful in places. This track is the perfect window into the diversity of A Wilhelm Scream's music, laying down the basic essence of energetic, melodic riffs that twist and turn back and forth from punk and metal, though the real metal influences are only miniscule, and real lyrics that genuinely question those instances, pains and dramas in our lives, pondering what they're really for.
A Wilhelm Scream are relentless and yet somewhat restrained in their musical punishment, as strange as that may sound it really is an oxymoron that works for while their sound is often fast and furious, it often feels like A Wilhelm Scream's tracks end all too quickly, often abruptly and leaking an unfinished quality about them. While usually this would not work in favour of a band, it works incredibly well for A Wilhelm Scream, creating an insatiable appetite for more and more of their music, causing a listener to flick back and listen again and again. This allows for deeper appreciation of the pure skill and genius of the music itself and the subtle humour of the lyrics, encased in not so subtle titles. Urgent, sarcastic and strangely emotional, the music is an intense mix of ecstasy and unprecedented melodic genius. Yet among all the anger and bitterness that is the basis for so many of their tracks, A Wilhelm Scream do show a softer, tamer and somehow deeper side to their music within the last two tracks, tracks that seem to suggest a loss that has greatly affected the way the band approach life. While still pairing up with the customary heavy bass lines and dangerously energetic riffs, the lyrics bear a saddened emotive depth, almost verging on affection and sheer loss in 'Cancer Dream' as the drums and guitars keep on drawing up to a most powerful ending with the lines 'Nobody needs nobody after all'
A Wilhelm Scream have definitely reached the goal of improving upon their last effort, there has been scepticism about why the album itself is called 'Ruiner' and while it has been feared that it represents a point of no return for the band, it certainly heralds a world of opportunities for A Wilhelm Scream should they so desire to reach for them and take them. With music like this, A Wilhelm Scream have yet to go far and hopefully there will be more of this unorthodox yet chaotically skilled band in years to come.