Why does Arizona have all the cool bands?
First Jimmy Eat World, then The Bled and now Scary Kids Scaring Kids. These guys have emerged from the Phoenix desert with the most innovative rock to hit the current scene. Their clean mix of keyboards, melodic, yet hardcore vocals, metal-like, guitar charged riffs and poppy beats have fans of Thrice, Fall Out Boy, Reggie and The Full Effect and Norma Jean all getting along in joyous harmony. There is a clearly audible Thursday and Thrice influence with these guys (screaming vocals, metal riffs, and heavy weight in the indecipherable lyrics), but that is to be expected seeing as it is the result of master production by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Hot Water Music, The Movielife).
Their Immortal Records debut, The City Sleeps In Flames, is nothing short of miracle, mainly because they’ve managed to pull off an ’80s, synth-pop screamo-core sound like it’s the peanut butter and jelly of the music scene.
The good part about that is, the culture that is “underground music” is probably the most welcoming of such a diverse sound of a band who is willing to take a chance and put themselves and their reputations on the line, all in the name of music. That SHOULD be what music is about, but unfortunately we often get stuck being exposed to 1,000’s of heartless groups on an annual basis with no motive other than money and fame.
These guys are good, really good. It’s just a shame that their name sucks so badly.
