IN REVIEW: Hot Snakes - "Jericho Sirens"

Having already been part of influential under-the-radar '90s band Drive Like Jehu, Rick Froberg and John Reis (the latter also part of Rocket From the Crypt) had used Hot Snakes as a side project of sorts during their original run; given their natural chemistry and talent, though, it's not altogether surprising that Hot Snakes' three albums (released from 2000-2004) became influential in their own right. Raw, loud and energetic, those albums helped lay the groundwork for many of the post-hardcore bands that have formed since their disbandment in 2005.

On their fourth album and first since reuniting in 2011, Hot Snakes haven't missed a beat. Jericho Sirens pops with the same manic energy that has fueled the rest of their discography with slashing guitars and raspy shout-vocals by Froberg and Reis that prove the chemistry is still intact. The rhythm section of bassist Gar Woods and drummers Mario Rubalcaba and Jason Kourkounis, meanwhile, hold down the low end with ferocious, sometimes intricate rhythms. In fact, one can argue that Hot Snakes sound tighter and more powerful on Jericho Sirens than they ever have before, if you're looking to open up the old "reunion vs. original" argument; just saying, you might win that argument.

This has always been a band that brought a measure of joy to their intense racket, and parts of Jericho Sirens deal in equal parts dopamine and adrenaline; Six Wave Hold-Down is almost radio friendly in its assured structure, and if rock radio was so bold as to allow it to grace the airwaves Hot Snakes could have a minor hit on their hands. Ditto the title track, a slower and bluesier appropriation of the band's delightful noise. Elsewhere, they opt to lay waste, such as on the breakneck-paced Why Don't It Sink In? Between these two poles lies the meat of the album, and this main course is highly energetic, muscular and tuneful.

While other bands have returned from long hiatuses with duller or more streamlined approaches to their sound, Hot Snakes have managed to retain all of the intensity of their original material while simultaneously presenting themselves as a more focused and comfortable band. Truly like their album cover, they're both the crashing wave and the middle-aged man who's stayed in shape and gotten on the board, perhaps long after others may have assumed he hung it up. Jericho Sirens isn't just a great reunion record, nor a great post-hardcore record, but a great record period.

March 16, 2018 • Sub Pop
Highlights Candid Cameras • Six Wave Hold-Down • Death Camp Fantasy