Review: They and the Children - Home

Label: Kill Normal Records

Released: July 1, 2008

There are angry bands and then there are really angry bands. They and the Children are the latter. Their latest offering, Home, cuts right to the chase, brimming over with outright rage from the very start. The intensity level is so high in fact that it's quite a shock that the whole thing doesn't devolve into an inarticulate mess. Perfectly good bands have cracked under less pressure. TATC, however, become more articulate even as the rage factor goes up.

It starts with mix of speed and drone and slowly, subtly layers add to the music's density. The next thing you know, you're simultaneous drowning in hardcore and swimming in psychedelia. By "Invisible," the album's fourth track, the mind-bending space rock is no surprise and, while it provides a breather from the breakneck pace, it by no means takes it easy. In fact, it has perhaps Home's most burning moments.

TATC have found some strange point where hardcore, drone and psychedelia meet and the
confluence of the three turns out to be something akin to rocket fuel. You might get burned along the way, but it's a healing fire.

Ratings
Satriani: 8/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 10/10
Overall: 9/10

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