Wordier than one of Shakespeare’s wet dreams, The Big Dirty burst into reality back in the recesses of 2007 rapidly slamming the ‘metalcore’ quintet, Every Time I Die, into the limelight, reaching number 41 in the US Billboard 200 Chart. The charm of ETID relies upon the psychotic quality of the penny-a-letter insanity of Keith Buckley’s vocals and heavy guitar grooves, as well as the bands insistence upon cutting their teeth on rigorous touring cycles that established their infamy as one of the most electric live performances around.
The Big Dirty built upon these unique traits, securing ETID’s distinctive sound and style as well as harnessing the awesome explosisvity that make them such a potent live spectacle. It is not an understatement to say that the lyrics bleed insanity; at some points the tongue is so far in the cheek that it’s actually licking someone else’s ear lobe. What’s more, this album was so fucking refreshing. Yes, it sounds like a man driven to distraction, wanking and laughing in the corner, but it never grows tiring, as you might expect. The clean vocals fit so well in front of heavy and sharp musicianship; screaming fills and unnecessary grunts are absent. And yes, that is a very good thing. The lyrics are quick and smart with Keith Buckley brandishing his razor-sharp tongue like a sabre. When you’re told in the song, We’rewolf, that ‘you only live when you’re ready to die’, you don’t feel that satire is being exhausted in these constant vacuous observations, you actually feel yourself making a mental note to get out more.
What is more, the guitars rip from riff to jagged riff, the drums and bass (although there was no permanent bass-player in the band at the time) are solid and diverse, and there are notable guest appearances. The inclusion of Dallas Green from Canadian rockers, Alexisonfire, in the song InRIhab sounds incredible. Although the song is not as sparky as some of the others on the album, it does not lose its potency by any stretch of the imagination: ‘I tied the devil to the tracks…can you hear the train coming?’ This song also provides some of the best drum fills around.
So get your dirty mitts on this album; it doesn’t fuck around. It just delivers and delivers until you’re exhausted, both emotionally and physically. If you aren’t prepared for an intense experience then leave this alone; I’m sure for all you lovers of milder musicianship Barry White will bring out something smooth and relaxing soon. Oh shit…
Nevermind.
Always Looking In,
The Outsider
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