Downtrodn – Missing In Distraction / 2004 Same Old Shoes / 14 Tracks / http://www.downtrodn.com / Reviewed 07 January 2006

While a track like “12th Street” has somewhat of a nod to Pennywise, there is a fury behind Downtrodn’s music that goes well beyond that skater punk. The chorus present on “12th Street” is beyond reproach; there is no doubt that the infectious quality of it will inspire mosh pits and pogoing the likes of which the world has never seen. What is the biggest hook for Downtrodn is their mixture of traditional metal riffs with punk; of all the tracks on “Missing In Distraction”, the track that best exemplifies this is “Grounded”. “Grounded” has a subject matter and overall sound that approximates The Misfits, but with a sort of freshness about it that The Misfits can never enjoy owing to their dated sound.

Each of the tracks is done with a professionalism to them that would allow for heavy radio rotation should the right individual find it; “Blue Devil” even ups the ante further in that the chorus is catchy, the guitar work immaculate, and a listener cannot help but be ensnared by Downtrodn here. What really distinguishes Downtrodn from the mass of other punk bands currently out on the market is that there is a smart consideration of the arrangements that lead every track. Instead of inserting the same three or four chord type of thing into every track on “Missing In Distraction”, Downtrodn mixes up different bits of instrumentation to keep their sound fresh in the ears of all the listeners that stumble upon the disc. What should impress listeners the most is the infusion of a walking bass line during “Drafted”, something that really gives Downtrodn a sound that screams “Rawhide” instead of “Anarchy in the U.K.”.

There is actually some meat to “Missing In Distraction”; the album will not simply shit out after twenty minutes, but sticks around tenaciously for over a half-hour to arouse, impress, and attack listeners. “October 15th” is the next big break-out track for Downtrodn, relying heavily on a set of metal-infused guitar riffs (a la Sum 41) for the bulk of the track, but also relying heavily on the fury provided by the drums to really make the track. Downtrodn is the rare example of a band that can actually put forth the same sort of energy that they’ve been known for live in their studio album, and there is no doubt in my mind that this album is getting high amounts of play throughout Columbus, Ohio and wherever else they have sent CDs.

Top Tracks: America Lost, October 15th

Rating: 7.0/10

[JMcQ]