Daggermouth – Stallone / 2006 State of Mind / 15 Tracks / http://www.daggermouth.com / http://www.stateofmindrecordings.com / Reviewed 17 October 2006

It takes Daggermouth a track to get into the groove of things, but “I Dance to Trance” is their first true hit on “Stallone”. On this track, Daggermouth plays a breakneck blend of emo and punk, in a style that seems to be a more melodic version of Rise Against. If a member of Rise Against was switched out with a member of Amber Pacific, then that is how I imagine Daggermouth on this album.

With few in the way of exceptions, the average Daggermouth track is short. This allows the band to end each track with a sharp exclamation. It is not as if the band is disaffected with their music, but by the time the ninety second mark hits, the band has felt as if they have accomplished everything they could have with that specific track. “Hit ‘Em High” is a track in which the technical abilities of Daggermouth are further increased. This is done by the band tinkering by the foundations of their own universe; the time signatures. By doing the equivalent of stutter-steps with the guitars on that track, Daggermouth is further able to expand their sound. Each of the songs on “Stallone” could be played on punk radio shows (and maybe could even break larger than that),; as Daggermouth plays a very pop-influenced sound that bounces between the boundaries of Rise Against, Amber Pacific, and Yellowcard with the greatest of easy. Daggermouth have a lot of fun tracks on “Stallone”, but the one thing that it feels as if the band is missing is the one track to break it big.

There is track after track on “Stallone” that is solid as all get out, but nothing present that will bring them to the next plateau. All of the arrangements are solid, each member of Daggermouth knows where to go and when to do that, but this last step is essential for the band to continue their path to fame. The blend of punk and emo and hardcore is something that is not typically this seamless; this formula could work well for Daggermouth if they continued along that path. The only thing that needs to be changed is that Daggermouth needs to search deep within themselves and pull out that one track that will get them a brief spotlight. This album will be worth a lot in a few years, as long as the band can continue refining their sound and evolving.

Top Tracks: The Verbal Uzi Moo You Fucking Bitches, Hit Em High Hit Em Low Don Flamingo

Rating: 6.1/10

[JMcQ]