The title of this album, "Sex, Alcohol, Rebel Music," sort of gives you an idea about what X-Method's music is all about. Hearing an X-Method song for the first time is like getting a stone cold stunner from Steve Austin with JR in the background screaming, “Oh My God!” X-Method does not mess around and their style of hard rock/heavy metal gets right down to business. Also, these guys can throw a curve ball once in blue moon and they know how to write very powerful mellow sounding songs. Plus, there are sixteen songs on this full-length release, so you have plenty of opportunities to bang your head, drink a few beers and raise some hell.
Now, this is not my first encounter with the Bay Area based band. I saw them perform last year at a show alongside some local Sonoma County acts. X-Method really took me by surprise during their set and the passion that comes from these dudes is unbelievable. The band’s lead singer Abby is a solid frontman that knows how to deliver some crushing lyrics while being a true bad ass onstage. I think the entire band sounds tight which makes for some great music overall.
To begin, some of the songs on this release I have heard before when I saw them live and then there are a fair amount I first heard when doing this review. You have a lot to choose from, which I will say sort of happens when you have an album with so much material. Unfortunately, there are certain tracks I tend to glance over, because the ones that standout just seem capture my attention more. As I eluded to earlier, you can’t just simply call X-Method a hard rock or heavy metal. These guys blend hard rock and metal elements into their music, however, they never venture into territories where you would be taken by complete surprise. “Denied What’s Ours,” begins with an epic acoustic riff that morphs into an avalanche of chaotic guitar riff fury. The drumming kicks into high gear and the band puts their foot on the gas pedal. It is one of the more thrash like songs on the album and Abby’s vocals really inject an extra bite of raw aggression into the music.
Following the intensity of the first track, the album’s second song, “Brutal As Fuck,” kind of gives you an idea of how that song sounds. It is Brutal as Fuck! (I bet you are all thinking, thank you captain obvious...) Anyway, the track right after, “When Darkness Falls,” is one of those curve balls. The guitars create a more melodic vibe and the vocals mellow out for a bit. This is just a really well written song that uses a simple verse riff to lead up to a very soothing chorus. Another mellow song that can get pretty heavy at times was, “Waiting For the Rain.” The vocal performance matched with the acoustic arrangement is brilliantly executed. I especially liked the guitar solo which perfectly compliments the song’s deep emotional tone.
Other songs that I liked which I thought fit well with album’s title were “Southern Comfort” and “Fuck Sobriety.” I thought the punk vibe that, “Fuck Sobriety,” offered up was really adrenaline pumping. I can just see them playing that song live with a gigantic pit forming full of headbangers and punks going bat shit crazy. Lastly, they have a song on here called, "No Tey Vayas," which is sung in Spanish I believe. X-Method is kind of big down in Peru and the Latin America region, so I thought that was very cool.
In the end, X-Method gives listeners so much to take away from their album, “Sex, Alcohol, Rebel Music.” Even if one track really does not grab you, there are so many songs on this album that are simply well written to where you will find something that fits your hard rock and metal mood. I commend X-Method for their hard work and know they will relentlessly tour and raise hell once the album is released...It comes out in a couple days... so VERY soon!
Preview a song from X-Method below:
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