The Black Pacific - S/T

01) The System
02) When It's Over
03) Living With Ghosts
04) Time Is Not The Reason
05) Almost Rising
06) Kill Your Idols
07) Defamer
08) Ruinator
09) Put Down Your Weapons
10) No Purpose

For starters, I have to kind of introduce this band to most people. This is the band that Jim Lindberg (original singer for Pennywise) did after he left the band. The other thing about this record, is that Pennywise did stay really active after the departure of Jim, but, for some reason, Jim managed to write a record, and release it before PW did any new stuff. Well, they did announce that they are going to release a new album in 2011 (and I am really intrigued about how that record is going to be like). Anyway, this record came out a few weeks ago, but i was too busy listening to the new Terror that came out the same day, to write a review of this (and give it a good listen).

I actually came across this record by chance. I didn't really know about this band until about like 3 months ago, when I came across an interview in the internerds with Jim, and he talked about the band, and only mentioned the record coming out, not when. Then some weeks later talking to a friend of mine, I mentioned the band to him, and it happened the record was coming out like that very next week, or like even less than a week, so I went and picked it up, as soon as I could. And what I also wanted to see were Jim's guitar skills, since he's usually being just a vocalist for the last 25 years, and have never heard him play guitar, until now.

The record starts with the song The System, which is actually reminiscing of later Pennywise stuff, but rather slower, and a more rock feel, than a hardcore punk one. Melodies are really good throughout the whole record, but once he starts singing, you can see a whole different tone in his voice compared to the last PW records. He sounds like actually pumped to be doing this, rather than just doing it because he has to.

It's full of "whoa parts", and I know some people don't really like these, in the amount, of this record, but I love them, and I think they compliment the music a lot in this specific record.

There are a lot of similarities in the songwriting to what he used to do in PW, but soundwise, it's a lot darker. For example in songs like Almost Rising, you can tell. Sort of heavier, still really melodic, but like said, heavier. Makes me reminisce of 90s grunge bands, or even some of those post hardcore bands like Quicksand (not entirely, but some of the riffs). The songs that you can totally see this mostly for are Kill Your Idols, No Purpose. And I say this in the good way. Because to be honest, when I first heard it, I was kind of dissapointed in this record. It's not one of those records that I liked right away. But the more I listen to it, the more I start to like it. It's kind of addicting, and also makes you want to kind of start a band with that sound, anyway, I have always wanted to start a band like that.

So I have to say give it a listen, and I don't think you'll be dissapointed. One thing I for sure hope is that they tour. I sure wanna see this band live.