Cold - 13 Ways To Bleed On Stage
©2000, Cold, Flip/Geffen
Cold have shed the shackles of the sophomore release jitters with pride and
have gracefully reinvented themselves on this jaw dropping record that is
filled with vibrant textural sounds and skilled musicianmanship. Gut
wrenching vocals and twisted organic guitars scrape out stylish riffs that
wither within the listeners ear, while moving basslines lead the explosive
drums and incredible array of countless electronic sounds into a bleak vision
of life and love. While the band was pure and raw sounding on their first
album, they have now latched firmly onto a bevy of effects and proceed to
literally tear a hole in the wall of sonic experimentation, creating what
could be described as an auditory meltdown of aggressive emotion.

Vocally, Scoot is flawless, sounding like a cross between Staind and Bush,
his moody and mildly husky voice croons out soul crushing vocals that
instantly hook deep within and don't let up. His ability to stretch out tones
and build up to elevating choruses is uncanny and if anything his performance
on this disc truly shows just how talented his bruised and battered verbal
torment is and how captivating a lyrical performance can be. From his sullen
wails of betrayal to his heated loathing bellows, its hard not to be taken
back by the dark energy he exudes. An addition of some female backup vocals
and the guest appearance from Staind's Aaron Lewis also add depth and are
used sparsely enough to make it seem inherently natural, which is by no means
an easy feat to accomplish as far as guest performers go. Guitars can range
from serene acoustic strums to throbbing effect softened plucks that glide
like buzzing whispers in the background and in an instant, all but swerve off
course to plunge headfirst into driving distorted growls that propel the
songs forward at a meteoric pace and yet all the while maintain a modest
integrity that makes them feel like a perfect fit. Bass is slightly downtuned
and hums out bottom heavy grooves that interlace smoothly with the deft
percussion and establish a large sounding lowend rumble that focuses heavily
on looming riffs and growly buildup. Drums shower the tracks with brittle
snare work and offbeat rolls that add an unconventional timing to the songs,
keeping things unpredictable. Perhaps the most noticeable addition to the
band on this album though is the seductive way in which effects and various
extra instruments are used, from "She Said's genius inclusion of piano to the
spacey effect laden audio rainbow that is "Sick Of Man", the band has
fearlessly jumped into uncharted territory and triumphantly returned doused
with an invigorating new dimension of aural experimentation.

Cold's first album may not have taken the group to the heights they expected
to reach, but it still stands as an intoxicating glimpse into a desolate
gloomy world of uncut emotion. This album builds upon those principals and
takes them to a whole new level with eclectic instrumentation, hooky melody
and a showcase of soul and depravity that literally spills all over the dense
soundscapes created. Through speakers alone this record is a testament to
compelling songwriting and intelligent experimentation, but when experienced
through headphones the subtleties and sultry nature of it all wind up making
everything even more impressive. Cold's chilly musical expression is both
creative and touching as their restrained and intelligent musical
articulation hits home harder than any of the bands who play loud music just
because they can ever will. These factors and so much more make this album an
instant classic that will all but make your speakers bleed with a somber
assertiveness that hasn't even come close to being achieved by any other band
in recent memory. Without a doubt this is a definite must have for anyone who
is sick of constant meaningless aggression and seeks something that is both
charmingly tactful and viciously cathartic.
- wookubus

Cd Rating
5/5
1=Shit, 2=Poor, 3=Average, 4=Dope, 5=Amazing

Check out the bands Official Website

Tracklist:

1. Just Got Wicked
2. She Said
3. No One
4. End Of The World
5. Confession
6. It's All Good
7. Send In The Clowns
8. Same Drug
9. Anti-Love Song
10. Witch
11. Sick Of Man
12. Outerspace
13. Bleed