Turmoil – Staring Back / 2005 Abacus / 37 Tracks / http://www.turmoil.com / http://www.abacusrecordings.com / Reviewed 17 November 2005

There is a large section of “Staring Back’s” opening track “Pinstripes & Neckties” where Turmoil creates something that really is straight-forward and more than a little common. However, the band is like a car on a cold morning, needing a minute or two before they can really rock. For those uninitiated, “Staring Back” is a retrospective discography, capturing the devolution of Turmoil. I say devolution in the sense that the disc is organized from the most current tracks backward; the first three tracks (“Pinstripes & Neckties”, “The Great American Crime”, and “Commander and Thief”) are the exclusive tracks here. The nearest albums that I could conceivably compare this collection to would have to be Bold’s “The Search” and the Fleshies discography from a few years ago; all three are perfect collections for the new fans.

The expanded nature of the collections (37 songs spread over 2 CDs) traces Turmoil throughout the last thirteen years, and really sets the stage for the new LP of material that the band is destined to come out with in the near future. What was a shock for me as a first-time listener was exactly how much of the sound of previous albums (specifically “In Search Of” listeners can hear on the newest tracks. If anything, the newer tracks are even harder than the hardcore put forth in the past. The level of continuity that stretches over the six year period shows that the band is still able to run on all cylinders. The band works on a number of levels, whether the band decides to go in a violent, quick way (“Playing Dead”) or in a more-repetitive, brutal way (“The Locust”); other tracks (“Fear of Falling Down”) really use other, more popular styles and recast them in a way that is beneficial for Turmoil. Thus, the track opens in a way that is reminiscent of “Shoots and Ladders”-era Korn; instead of infusing it with a rock edge, the shrillness of the guitars is expanded into a straight-forward romp.

Keeping the discs in the original continuity allows listeners to transport themselves back to 1999, 1996 or even earlier and better understand the band that was playing shows when a large number of the current hardcore kids were still in their childhoods. Well worth the money for fans and newly-indoctrinated listeners alike, this discography is vital for understanding the current state of hardcore and the future still to come.

Top Tracks: Every Man My Enemy, The Locust

Rating: 6.0/10

[JMcQ]