Band: Counterpunch
Album: Dying to Exonerate the World
Label: Go Kart Records
Rating: 
Review by: Bill Jones
I have been a Counterpunch fan for awhile by default now, so I have to personalize this review just a bit. But the page selling Counterpunch’s latest, Dying to Exonerate the World, on ShopRadioCast.com proclaims that over the last six years, the band has shared the stage with Rise Against, Strung Out, Death by Stereo, The Vandals, A Wilhelm Scream, The Swellers, Only Crime, The Loved Ones, Much the Same and Alkaline Trio. And I know in the cases of at least four of those bands (including Rise Against and A Wilhelm Scream) that stage was, at least at one point, a basement in Palatine, Ill., known as The Haven.
Counterpunch was essentially the house band at The Haven, opening many a show there. They were always fast. Always punk rock. Always a great way to start the evening. But as much as I liked seeing them live, I would be lying if I said I regularly popped in their self-titled release. As much as I loved to get moving to them in a basement, the songwriting was never quite as good as it is on Dying to Exonerate the World, and I mean that as a total complement to what the band has just accomplished, because this is the kind of record I’ve already spent most of the summer listening to.
Counterpunch pulls from the books of a lot of the aforementioned bands on Dying to Exonerate the World, so much so that upon the first few listens it can seem like more imitation than innovation. On the flip side, they’re all very good influences to be pulling from, and moreso than any of them, Counterpunch seems to be pulling from book of Bad Religion, in terms of songwriting, as well as elevated lyrical content that takes a socially conscious look at today’s world, if the title didn’t make that evident enough.
The opening of “Heroes and Ghosts” has a strange, almost weak sound; it’s almost monotone, muted approach. But it doesn’t take more than seconds for the band to burst into a great melodic punk track with fantastic lyrics to match. “The Great Regression,” two tracks later, does a phenomenal job of supporting that melodic approach, slowing things just down before exploding into big choruses. “Constraints and Anchors” probably moves the furthest into pop-punk territory, but does a nice job of balancing its melodies with fast and then heavy guitar work.
The band’s punk side can be seen in tracks like “When the Curtains Close,” which starts slow, but builds by about 30 seconds into the song with a nice rolling drum rhythm, similar to what fans get at the start of “We Believe,” a song much more in the vein of Rise Against in terms of songwriting.
But my favorite song on this album, by far, is “Strings of Destiny.” It opens with schoolchildren reciting a bit about making America better through education. What follows is a shot-to-the-balls kind of punk song that mixes chugging basslines with guitar chords running as fast as they can over the punk verses, and then an awesome downscale riff over the chorus that could have found a home in a metal track. It’s as fast as the band gets on the album, and the vocal delivery is absolute punk perfection from start to finish, with the harmonic backing vocals perfectly accenting everything that’s going on. It’s complex for a punk track, but that does nothing to lessen its impact. It’s about as perfect as a melodic punk song gets.
Two tracks later, “A Raven’s Curse” provides an awesome complement, more of a hardcore punk song with a few great screams, an awesome bass intro and another great chance to mosh. There’s a real anger in the vocals, and it plays well with the cut’s lyrics. The band finds some needed levity on Exonerate with “And Everybody’s Right (Asshole),” a track that definitely indulges some different vocal stylings. But the turns are great, and the “Everybody says that you’re an asshole” chorus is a lot of fun to sing along with.
My only real complaint is the “Scenester Kids” outro to track 12. The lyrics are more than a bit silly, and the song doesn’t really go anywhere by the time it’s over. But this and other small missteps are easily overlooked, as Dying to Exonerate the World, despite sometimes wearing its influences on its sleeves, is a fantastic melodic punk album from start to finish. It takes a little house band from Palatine to a new realm thanks to, or possibly despite, some lineup changes. Either way, I’m happy as hell to hear these guys putting out a record so great from start to finish. Not to mention, the artwork inside and out (by Derek Deal) is absolutely phenomenal, in a sort of comic book style. So support a good band and buy it, and you’ll be rewarded.
For more info, www.gokartrecords.com
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