BRING YOUR OWN WEAPON - B.Y.O.W.

Bring Your Own Weapon are an Arizona Punk Rock outfit recommended to me by the guys from Broloaf.  Based in Phoenix, this group has had a bit of success on a local level.  At least that's the impression I have after reading some articles and information about the band online.  And I think that's fantastic!

As I listened to this album, my enthusiasm for the band slacked off quit a bit.  They are a straightforward Hardcore Punk outfit and although they know all the tricks when it comes to writing and performing this genre of music, there's not a lot of hope this group will cross over and have a lot of success.

Punk, Hardcore and other extreme metal genres are music built around developing a certain feeling and feeding that energy.  When I was younger, I would hang out with some of these kids and I enjoyed going to these types of shows as much I as I enjoyed seeing more mainstream groups.  I figured out these bands aren't selling you "music" as much as they're selling a feeling.  One they develop and nurture in their audience.  Almost like a cause.  And those feelings are highly charged, intense and can sometimes lead to impaired thinking.  I simply don't have that in me anymore.  There's no way I could handle the energy of this band's live performance, much less feel all the anger they seem to want you to to feel with the righteous fist of indignation pumping the air high above your head as you rock out with them.  I just can't muster the strength.

Unlike other hardcore groups, Bring Your Own Weapon do have some musical moments that make you think there's more to them than just the high energy punk metal they play, but you don't see them branch out on this record.  They do have one track, the last one...  number 14...  'Bobbing For Babies' is a fairly straight forward call to arms about bad parenting and irresponsible behavior around children.  I can absolutely get on board with that.

As the band develops, perhaps they'll find a way to embrace melody and other traditional aspects of popular metal and music culture they tend to avoid.  I think if they did this you'd see a transformation similar to Rob Zombie's.  He started out a fairly blistering punk rocker himself back in the White Zombie days.  But I'm talking way back.  You have to go back to the time before they were signed to a label and track down some of that super rare local releases the band did.  They were hard!!!!!  And now look at him...  The King of Horror Rock!  Sure there are fans who will say they've sold out and there are fans who might embrace a new sound, but one thing is certain, they'll never get famous playing music people only react to.  It just doesn't sell as well.  There are better ways to engage a fan base and develop a career than just raging.  But ultimately, the members of Bring Your Own Weapon must do what feels artistically right to them.  Their integrity as artits is on the line.  And if they choose to remain the stalwart metal prophet shouting out the evils of the world every bias they possess will want center stage.  And that could create a very jumbled unclear message.  Sometimes you have to give up the war in favor of the art.

Anywho, back to basics...  Rocking band, but much harder than I would normally buy.  I like a couple of songs, especially 'Bobbing For Babies'.  But again, this is a group that writes music to cause a feeling.  Everything is in the intensity and rigor of those power chords.  That adrenaline piston blood pounding your brain is the lead guitarist and the soul crushing boot stomps are the drummer calling you into action.  

I still detect a thougtful soul behind the lyrics and it would really be interesting to see what would happen if that guy put his words before the music.  The very gist of what he's trying to say would be better suited to a more expressive lyrical form of composition than the protest aggression of what you hear on this album.

Whatever they choose, I'll have to choose whether or not to give them another try.  I'm hopeful they'll consider some new musical directions, but that's my opinion and it is not better or worse if they don't.  We'll see what happens.

My final words....: THE MUSICAL EQUIVALENT OF SMASHING WALNUTS BETWEEN YOUR BARE HANDS JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN!  STILL BETTER THAN MOST HARDCORE BANDS I'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

BRING YOUR OWN WEAPON - B.Y.O.W.
01. Three Strikes
02. Locked Inside
03. Overtime
04. Punk Rock For Sale
05. Booze Pig
06. Tampons And Beans
07. Political Bullshit
08. Drunk And Broke
09. Ritalin
10. DTS/DTO
11. Gridlock
12. Fuck The Middle East
13. Wrecking Ball
14. Bobbing For Babies