Sureburn - Sureburn by James

How do you describe Sureburn's sound? Their press kit says "a metallic funkcore band from Dallas, Texas". I think that sums it up perfectly for me. When I listen to this CD, I hear a lot of influences that I can relate to, from Rap to Hardcore to Old-school metal and Sureburn does an amazing job of taking all these influences and molding it into one coherent sound. That sound is, quite simply, a sonic assault that will leave you sitting there, mouth open, thinking, "I can not believe this is their first CD." The songs are well thought out and expertly put together both lyrically and musically giving each song a distinct sound while still maintaining a consistent style. These guys know how to write songs, that is for sure. One of the things that stands out when you listen to this CD is Blas Carrasco's bass skills. The use of this amazing bass player really helps give them the funky sound they are going for, but they mixed it so that the bass doesn't drown out the other members of the band. Vocals are provided by the tag team of Tim Gordon and Chad Snyder, who give the songs an excellent dynamic ranging from melodic singing to rapping to rage-infused screaming. Chris Kralik and Greg Gordon are responsible for the guitar work, providing just the right mix of heavy riffs and amazing melodies. What would a heavy band be without a good drummer, though? Well, Sureburn won't have to find out, because Ryan Martin is definitely as good a drummer as any band could ever want. Every member of this band does their individual jobs superbly.

After a week of listening to this CD, I find myself not struggling to find a song I like, but to figure out which song I like more. The first song that grabbed me was Death Row, a ripping commentary on the current state of hip hop. Maybe that is why it grabbed me, because the song is so damn heavy, yet it is clearly directed at some of rap's top sellers. The second track on the CD, Tearing Down, really sets the mood for the rest of this album perfectly, with an ending breakdown guaranteed to incite a minor riot when you hear it live. Than you have They, Deep, which is so amazingly mild in its presentation that I thought I had switched CDs accidentally. Honestly, every time I hear this CD, I like it that much more, and that in itself is a statement of how good this album is.