Glassjaw was an essentially unknown post-hardcore band of the 1990s. The band mixed elements of goth rock (like The Cure), hardcore punk and heavy metal music together, in an interesting blend that left them to be named one of the first post-hardcore groups, (even though the sound almost nothing like what post-hardcore bands sound like today).

They evolved in the mid-early 1990’s in the hey-day of bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana and Pearl Jam, after hardcore punk had run it’s course in popularity. The only time they achieved a high amount of popularity was in the U.S.’s underground music scene as well as in the U.K.’s. They changed band members on a regular basis having a grand total of nineteen different musicians since the band started in 1993.

Throughout the album you can sense why Glassjaw should be known with songs that sound strikingly similar to bands modern bands like Taking Back Sunday. The album is a mixture of metal-toned instruments, punk-styled screaming and grungy alternative rock (as well as a hint of funk & jazz music). Also notable is the presence of Shannon Larkin on drums (previous drummer of hardcore punk band Amen as well as the current drummer of alternative metal group Godsmack).

Song Highlights:

“Tip Your Bartender”

This track is the album’s in-your-face opener. The opening section of the song sounds like a mix of Beastie Boy’s “Sabotage” and a Rage Against The Machine song. It then trades between this section and a quiet singing section. In the center of the song there is also an interesting instrumental progression, very similar to what would be called a breakdown in this era of music.

“Apes Dos Mil”

This song reminds me of some of Taking Back Sunday, musically as well as vocally. The verses are quite and building before transcending into a chorus with a driving bassline and crunchy, distorted guitars.

“Stuck Pig”

Kicks off with crashing cymbals and a guitar/bass riff that make it sound like glass being broken to the cymbals time. A grooving bassline kicks in and vocalist Daryl Palumbo screams, adding to the sparks of the insanity in the song. It then transfers into a quiet verse, before going into the loud destructive beginning, in a schizophrenic manner. The song ends abruptly and a badly recorded gypsy folk song played on violin kicks in making for a weird outro.

Rating: 7.8/10