Off With Their Heads – In Desolation

I honestly meant to write this review over a month ago, but I couldn’t turn off the record long enough to do so. Even now it’s on in the background. All my friends have heard it, willingly or no, the second they set foot in the house "hang on, come here a sec, you have to hear this" or worse, at the pub cramming used earbuds in their faces. Even in the throes of World Cup fanaticism I was finding myself awake and restless at two in the morning crossing the floor to the record player to drop the needle.

Off With Their Heads have been engendering passionate worship from fans for years now, through an ever rotating roster (some 16-odd members in seven years), sharing talent from Dear Landlord, Rivethead, The Gateway District, and so on. The beginning of this year saw the band signed to Epitaph records, and their newest album, "In Desolation" was released by the label on June 8.

There was some trepidation leading up to this release. Epitaph has famously been distancing themselves from their punk origins, and focusing on more mainstream bands. The band also did some tour dates on metal shows. All of this left long-time fans wondering what the new label would mean, and what direction the band would be taking with the new release.

Fears were allayed bit by bit. First the opening track, "Drive" was posted on the band’s MySpace page, then days before the official release, the album was streaming on the band’s PunkNews profile.

"In Desolation" is that perfect album that in your secret heart you’ve been hoping someone would write. It is the album that has everything you need an album to have; angry songs about getting your own back, and sticking it to the bastards, love songs for the mix tape (cd? zip file? whatever you kids are doing now) you’re making for that girl you met at a show, and breakup songs for when she kicks you off her couch, songs about drugs, songs about drinking, songs about pain, and loss, and addiction, and sickness.

And that last bit might be the most beautiful and valuable thing about the album. Sure, the fight songs are great, they’re catchy and up-lifting hard-hitting anthems like we’re used to hearing from Off With Their Heads. But the album also has some of the most nakedly honest, emotive songs about dealing with the loss of a loved one, and the effect lasting depression can have on a relationship. It paints a very real picture of things spiraling out of control, and drags you inside.

Make no mistake, this isn’t a turn into Emo territory and radio marketability. This is coping in the traditional Punk rock fashion of "Here it is. Don’t like it? Fuck you." There are no apologies made, no excuses, and no "poor me" whining here. There is rage, sadness, and eventually acceptance, gratitude, and even a little bit of humour, that reaches into your guts, twists hard until you break, and brings you back to the top, stronger than you ever were before.

The band is already planning a special EP release through Interpunk this summer, featuring 4 unreleased tracks on picture vinyl, and another album due out in spring of 2011 to be titled "Heart/ectomy". How they’ll top this release, I can’t imagine, but I can’t wait to find out.

You can check out the band, or find out their tour dates, on their MySpace at: www.myspace.com/offwiththeirheads

 

-Jo Problems-
Big Wheel Online Magazine
 

 

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