What the rock scene has been lacking lately is another band like White Zombie - music that sounds like the soundtrack for a cheesy horror flick. Here comes the Union Underground. Prepare to be educated.
The Union Underground
...An Education In Rebellion
Sony Records
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Unlike many new modern rock albums, The Union Underground's …An Education In Rebellion doesn't slow down or take a break. There is nothing even remotely resembling a ballad on this album. No techno cop-outs, no slow guitar explorations, this album is full of heavy hitters and nothing else.
Education sets itself up like a slasher flick. The cover and backside both portray disturbing images of people with extremely pale, drugged out, Manson-esque complexions.
This parallelism carries on into the music. The title track is an eerie instrumental intro to the album, but by track three, "South Texas Deathride," there's plenty of disturbed psyche and angry blood-letting. This continues on through the rest of the album. Tracks like "Turn Me On 'Mr. Deadman'" and "Killing the Fly" are all about taking out one's frustration on the world.
The music itself is pretty basic. The two-guitar attack of Bryan Scott and Patrick Kennison provides just enough depth and variety to prevent Education from getting too repetitive. Power guitar riffs on songs like "The Friend Song" and "Until You Crack" provide plenty of head banging material.
Where Education really shines is in Josh Memolo's drumming expertise. Memolo is given plenty of opportunities to showcase his talent. Songs like "Killing The Fly" and "Until You Crack" receive their power from precise, energetic drumbeats. Sure there are some techno elements on Education (aren't there on every rock album nowadays?), but they don't smother Memolo.
Granted, Education is about as scary as seeing a horror flick for the 50th time. But what it provides is something most new albums don't. Consistency and energy. Those desperate for something to really mosh to will find comfort in The Union Underground's debut.
