SWEET WEAPONS - "DEMO 2011" (Emo Punkrock from Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A.)

SWEET WEAPONS - "DEMO 2011"
("D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Okay, I've lost a little bit the focus (you may can say also the energy, motivation and the free-time, too) over the last months to do so much up here and that's why a lot of stuff remained undone up to this very present day here and now. And so now with me being more or less back on track again I'm also working the things up that I've missed out so far, and also this (for all what I know debut) release of SWEET WEAPONS needs to be worked up finally up here. First of all I received this demo months ago via an e-mail but I truly have totally lost my contact datas and totally forgot about the circumstances. So if the guy who sent it to me is reading this here and now then thanks a lot for sending it to me and sorry that it took so long with the review being up and ready to read up here. So, next problem, I have no clue if this demo was solely released as an MP3-Download or if it also was released on CD/CD-R/Vinyl/Tape. I've found a download-it-for-free link on the web when searching it through for it and this link I will give ya all at the end of this review. But I don't know if the download is officially by the band authorized and so on, so if anyone out of the band is reding this and wants that the link is deleted then just leave a comment, send me a message or what ever and I will asap take care of it. So, okay, enough of the introduction words and talk, straight onward into this review: SWEET WEAPONS are a fresh young band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. and they play a somehow weird mixture out of Emo Rock/Core, (emotional) Punkrock, Melodic Hardcore and also some typical 1990's progressive early Post Core stuff, so let us call it emotional Punkrock or something like this, and what's so weird about it is the fact that the music of SWEET WEAPONS somehow tumbles in between fresh and dynamic, grapping and interesting stuff on the one side of the ocean, and boring and marked by a giant lack of own and fresh and new ideas 1990's retro ripp off Hardcore-Punkrock stuff. In the stronger moments we'll find here great and suprising twists and turns in the songwriting and in the structure of the songs, with interesting arrangements of the vocal lines as well as the guitar playing and a suprisingly spontaneous rhythm section, while in the weaker momnts it all sounds like a mixture out of LIFETIME, REFUSED, IGNITE and SAMIAM and all the various components it is made out of are know to us and heard for far more than over a thousand times (and often- far- better) before. So, that's the problem with this one, the consequent quality and direction of the material is lacking quite a bit. If you like your Punkrock cultivated with some Hardcore and all done very emotional (which means Emo) and melodic and if you like also not that much ordinary or better clichè changes and turn-overs in the structure of the songs then you should definitely risk an ear (or download it anyway after it is for free), even you should maybe not expect too much greatness coming at you. And if you've grown up like me in the 1990's (and I still love this period and all the great music it gave to us) and that also with the above mentioned bands, you should be very soon pretty familiar with the music of SWEET WEAPONS, and if you are- unlike me- a fan or nerd of retro music and bands then you will love them anyhow. But okay, I currently recognize that this sounds all in all far too negative. Because especially the guitar playing is most of the time really and truly great, very often even something pretty fascinating, with all the suddenly changing riffs and the grapping lead and melodies, and when then also the clear and emotional lead vocals do join the dance with the guitars it's all getting pretty often really a 'goosepimples-affair-thing', and the not-nervous but very tight and well-versed by any means in every cases fast and quick playing rhythm section is also very often some sort of an 'ear-opener' (instead of an eye-opener, after we talk about music), and that the guys know how to play we don't need to discuss anyway. I now would just wish that they work out more a identity of their own, that they work more intense on their songwriting and that they cut themselves off loose of all the retro 'charme' bullshit and then we all can be pretty curious about what will be coming up next of them. So far, this here remains a solid good release and not because it's a debut release (for all what I know), but because it is exactly this with a lot of potential that's waiting to be used and out-worked by SWEET WEAPONS the next time they come around. Lyrically we get some also pretty emotional stuff (the lyrics weren't send to me and if they are a part of the download I don't know, but you get them when you're listening to it), also pretty good, no doubt about it, the transparent yet heavy production sound is more than 'just' damn good and the artwork (only the above to be seen cover picture I got, don't kno if the download offers more to you) is a very sad one but got a decent look anyway. All in all we get five songs and especially the opener track, "SO PLEASING", as well as "HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME" are great shit. So, yes, give this band a try, could be worth your time, and we should maybe all have an open eye (and ear) for them in the future. (7 of 10 points)

(Download Link:  http://www.mediafire.com/?hi2z1686m56du1m)

(Contact: http://sweetweapons.tumblr.com/)