Thought Vomit "Punks Brutal Retaliation/Sync the Skies"

    In this crazy world of sensational journalism, mass produced musical acts and a society that has become mindless slaves to technology, you really come to appreciate a band like Thought Vomit for the music they write and their uncompromising rebellious nature. The Sonoma County based band’s new album, “Punks Brutal Retaliation/Sync the Skies,” is a great example of a local act pouring every announce of energy into their music and fearlessly charging forward into the global punk and metal arena. 

    I am quite familiar with Thought Vomit, so already we can throw out that there might be some bias when writing this review, but then again, all journalists are somewhat biased and the ones who claim not to be are the biggest liars on this planet. Now, it has been about over a year since the first time I saw Thought Vomit perform live, which was at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, CA. Since then I have watched them perform live numerous times around Sonoma County. Simply put, Thought Vomit does not disappoint once they hit the stage. I have always felt like their two previous recordings never really captured the passion and raw power that these guys have to offer. In my opinion, this new release is a testament to their DIY work ethic that is constantly propelling them forward.  

    To begin, Thought Vomit self-recorded this release as with their previous album, "Can't Understand Normal Thinking." Already, I can say there are differences between the two albums and the new tracks not only sound solid this go around, but the songwriting as a whole has been raised to a new level. Whether it be the brutality on, “Pelican Witch” and “War,” or the clever social commentary on, “Affluenza America,” or even the hardcore punk aggression on, “This is Your God,” the group writes with an undeniable drive and a bold unforgiving expression of musical attitude. The opening song, “Glass Jaw,” starts the album off with an epic instrumental jam that sets up the next track, “Affluenza America.” Singer Spencer Clark takes listeners right into the chaotic sounding world while unapologetically presenting the lyrics with his vicious hardcore growl. Guitarist Chris Meyer and bassist Jordie Hilley tear away like maniacs on riffs with earsplitting metallic qualities. Drummer Clay Prieto holds down the rhythm behind the kit by pounding the sheer crap out of his drums and adding to the music’s bold attitude. 

    After the first couple tracks, the band unleashes a blizzard of wicked tunes like, “Steel Toe Tap,” “Glad to Lose,” and “This is Your God.” Personally, “Glad to Lose,” is my favorite of the bunch and one of the top tracks on the album. Jordie’s bass playing really stands out during the song and that main riff is simple yet very catchy. Track number five, “This is Your God,” is a song that I have heard live for awhile now and the brief hardcore energy is monumental with regards to the music's unapologetic artistic expression.   

    The last two tracks that I want to mention happen to be songs that sort of took me by surprise, because you can hear Thought Vomit taking their music into new territories. “Flame in the Rain,” is the second to last song on the release and has an overall mellow tone. It is a departure from the more punk metal mayhem and the piece is very well written. Also, the song features Kat Young who provides a soothing sounding vocal delivery that compliments the song’s calm atmosphere. The final song on the album, “Sync the Skies,” is without doubt my favorite piece from the entire release. Thought Vomit digs deep into a very progressive and hypnotic riff style world that I think vividly stands out compared to their other recordings. Just in this one song the band displays tremendous dynamic songwriting skills. I honestly hope to hear more songs written in this same vein on future Thought Vomit releases. 

    After constantly playing live shows with relentless passion, the punk/metal quartet in Thought Vomit has really put together a top notch release with, “Punks Brutal Retaliation/Sync the Skies.” I have come to know these guys over the last year and have truly enjoyed being able to see such growth from a talented group of musicians. Still, the live experience of Thought Vomit is hard to beat, so if you have a chance to go see them live do not hesitate. Yes, you can get the album once it is released in October and have a grand old time banging your head and moshing around your room. However, seeing them live reminds you what this type of music is all about...Raising hell and not giving a damn about what the elitist authoritarian society thinks is proper music.  

Thought Vomit Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/thoughtvomit/

Thought Vomit "Pelican Witch" :