In the Face of the Enemy

Hardcore punk and speed metal have been secret buddies for years, only letting the cat out of the bag every once in a while when a Corrosion of Conformity or Agnostic Front comes along. Disarray is another in a long line of bands not afraid to wear both influences on their sleeves with a sense of pride. But in their case, the results are not entirely satisfying. Some tracks are tight and solid little anthems that bring to mind the classic early-'80s skatepunk of Suicidal Tendencies. On these songs, the key to keeping the material interesting lies in the way Chuck Bonnett plays his vocals off of his fretwork, displaying a songwriting maturity that is a relief to hear. But the songs can also steer into mindless chugging at times, robbing them of their energy by needlessly drawing out the track. Still, the band has a good idea of what direction they are steering their music; they just need to cut away a little more of the fat, and they'll be a force to be reckoned with. Until then, they have released another promising album that slowly moves them closer to putting out a consistently rocking record.