BearvsShark
“Terrorhawk”
Equal Vision Records

BearvsShark have gotten heavier. Gone are the quiet ballads, well for the most part, but the band’s sound is not really compromised. BearvsShark remind me of a more indie rock version of the cherished punk rockers Dillenger 4. The guitars are raw, the vocals are screamed, beautifully sung, and most importantly intense. Musically I think the band tried to do too much at once.

“Catamaran” is a rager, while the next three tracks are kinda just there. They don’t do anything for me. The album picks up again with “Baraga Embankment”. “Baraga Embankment” is a piano ballad that builds to a great sing-along chorus with horns! BearvsShark rock in a Jawbreaker “Bivouac” way. “What a Horrible Night for a Curse” is a slow indie rock number that these boys pull off to perfection. The problem is that the fast songs aren’t memorable and there are just too many throw away tracks. It’s not really necessary for a band like BearvsShark to include two 30 second songs on this record.

I said it when this band put out their last record, but I bet this band’s live performance smokes everyone out there. There is a ton of energy in this recording and you can tell that this band puts their heart and soul into their music. Equal Vision continues to put out the hits.


Reviewed by: Adam Circumstance
Reviewed on: July 6, 2005