CD Review: Only Crime - "Virulence"

Only Crime - "Virulence"
(Fat Wreck Chords, 1/23/2007)

Only Crime is about as close as you'll probably ever get to a punk rock supergroup. Singer Russ Rankin handled vocals for Good Riddance, drummer Bill Stevenson made a name for himself keeping the beat for Descendents, All, and—for a short time—Black Flag, and the rest of the crew (Aaron Dalbec, and Zach and Donivan Blair) have collective experience playing with Bane, Converge, Hagfish, Armstrong and Gwar. While Only Crime’s brand of melodic hardcore doesn't really break any new ground, it comes awfully close to epitomizing the genre, and that’s quite an accomplishment in its own right.

Only Crime's sophomore release for Fat Wreck Chords entitled "Virulence" is more melodic than their debut (2004's "To The Nines"), but this unfortunately comes at the expense of some of the raw energy that made that record so enjoyable. This album recalls the Fat releases you listened to ten years ago from bands like Good Riddance, Strung Out and No Use For A Name, but you won't get too carried away in reminiscing before Only Crime's melodic riffs and harmonious vocals remind you that their sound is altogether unique. While paying homage to their roots, Only Crime manages to do something new and different, due in part no doubt to the diverse musical experience that the members bring to the table. It's classic melodic hardcore to be sure, but certain songs are decidedly more melodic than you'd expect. Don't despair, though, because other tracks will give you the healthy dose of punk angst and aggression that you’re looking for, while achieving a refreshing level of maturity in a genre that is too often plagued with lyrics replete with ignorant rhetoric.

The album's standout tracks are two friendship anthems, "Just Us" and "Shotgun." The former was the only song from the band's 2003 demo that didn't make it on to their debut, so I was quite happy to hear the final cut appear on "Virulence." This record will appeal, of course, to fans of the members' former bands and other melodic hardcore legends (see the late-1990s Fat and Epitaph catalogs), but the youth-crew hardcore kids out there will probably also find themselves singing/shouting along.

Rating: 4/5

Only Crime (official site) • Only Crime on MySpace