For their third album, Orange County hardcore revivalists
A.18 have lost one guitarist, leaving them with the odd combination of one singer, one guitarist, and a dude who doubles on bass and drums. Those concerts must be a hoot. Anyway,
Dear Furious moves away from the purist- '80s-style hardcore of their earlier records, which were basically full-length
Government Issue tribute albums. The variety of influences, which is moving the band into more of a
Fugazi direction, helps considerably, as does the more stripped-down one-guitar sound. Unfortunately, however,
A.18's fundamental problem -- a lack of truly interesting songs -- is as much of a problem here as it was on the earlier albums. When the most interesting thing about the best song on the album (the opening "The Massive") is the harmonics created by the two sirens in the song's intro, there's work to be done. Guitarist Michael Hartsfield is capable of some interesting riffs, but that's not enough to hang a full album on. ~ Stewart Mason