From Companionship to Competition is one long polemic against sellout and mall punk, and while I understand the sentiment, I can’t help thinking that there are better things to sing about these days.
Where 7 Seconds’ new release has a sense of humor about the new crop of kids and bands, Kill Your Idols have nothing but hate. There’s hate for the mall punks, hate for former friends, hate for lovers, even hate for themselves–it’s equal-opportunity vitriol spat at machine-gun speed over grinding, metallic guitars and speed-freak drumming.
The album is best summed up with a line from Kill Your Idols’ choice of cover songs: “Still Pist” by street-punk stalwarts The Pist. They slow down a bit here from breakneck hardcore speed and singer Andy West’s voice is decipherable as he recites a litany of complaints, ending with “We’re still here and we’re still pist!”
If you’re into nihilistic bile and scene-snob angst, Kill Your Idols could be the band for you. I’m growing a bit tired of masturbatory songs about the “scene” when there’s so much more in the world to be pissed off about.
Sarah is spending her days in the deserted beaches of South Carolina, scooping up young boys like a butterfly catcher drunk on white zin. She also pens some poinant and provacative posts on “Speak Delinquently” at http://speakdelinquently.blogspot.com/.
