Epitaph was always a label that you could count on for great punk rock of all styles and flavours. More often, however, their imprint finds its way onto some total garbage (I’m looking at you Escape the Fate and I Am Ghost). Being arguably the most successful indie label in recent history, they have the capital from their successes (i.e Tom Waits, The Weakerthans) to invest in all types of music that might possibly sell to the masses. It has served them well, as the mall-punk set gobbles up a lot of this post hardcore/present-crapcore by the bucket-load. Enter SOTY’s latest release The Constant. It has killer production, great eye on current grunge-pop trends and enough angst not to upset the soccer-mom set. But it’s the cry baby lyrics, soft/LOUD/soft/ANGRY LOUD arrangements and child choral touches that will sell boatloads of this at Warped this summer. But not to me. Ever.

Published in Volume 64, Number 20 of The Uniter (February 25, 2010)