A Wilhelm Scream

Hardcore is about release; metal is about control. Put them together and you get a contradiction with guitars. Most bands typically deal with that dichotomy by throwing their weight into one style and retaining only the veneer of the other. But not A Wilhelm Scream. On its latest effort, Ruiner,...

By Andrew Marcus

December 8, 2005

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Hardcore is about release; metal is about control. Put them together and you get a contradiction with guitars. Most bands typically deal with that dichotomy by throwing their weight into one style and retaining only the veneer of the other. But not A Wilhelm Scream. On its latest effort, Ruiner, the New Bedford, Massachusetts, quintet evenly melds hardcore bluster and metal technique. Scruffy riffs alternate with shiny, airtight arpeggios, and a time-honored hardcore paddleball beat gives way to hairpin tempo shifts, while the vocals demonstrate a little-noted similarity between Bad Religion-derived punk harmony and metal operatics. The result is a seamless alloy of styles. And the songs, daft titles aside, are tuneful and succinct, utilizing an emo lilt to catchier effect than most comparable bands. Explore a contradiction long enough, and it starts to make sense.

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.