A Sense of Coalition

Codeseven melds spastic hardcore with upbeat punk stylings and layers the music with incredibly beautiful singing that could melt even the coldest heart on their 1998 album, A Sense of Coalition. This six-piece hailing from North Carolina has seemingly collected all their favorite elements from their record collection and compacted them through a siphon, allowing only the genre's life fluid to leak through into their exquisite 11-track disc. From the heartbreaking melody of "Menthol Kings" to the excruciating screams which explode out of the speakers on the old-school thrash anthem "Daily Ethic," the listener will be hypnotized and viscously beaten by Codeseven's volatile concoction. At times vocalist Jeff Jenkins carries a light-as-a-feather croon similar to Deftones' Chino Moreno, yet Jenkins comes across as having a much more delicate voice. This is well documented on "Incommunicado," as it has the ability to make even the strongest man weep. Don't let this amazing harmony allude you; Codeseven has the capability to incapacitate the listener and peel their fingernails off, as is the case with the aggressive stomp of "Hymn." A Sense of Coalition is rather rough around the edges and could do with better production, yet the wealth of talent contained is undeniable. Codeseven is a hidden diamond in a desert of ever-shifting sand, only waiting for one to find them. An exceptional treat for those who enjoy emotional hardcore music. ~ Jason D. Taylor, Rovi