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By JEFF MAKI
NYC's Sworn Enemy have been at it for quite some time now and have--at the least--become a respected name in the underground/hardcore metal scenes. There's nothing entirely original about this band, which combines hardcore, thrash and Scandinavian metal in one harsh, violent sound. Fans know what they're gonna get with each and every album they release. This is the band's third effort, following As Real As It Gets (2003) and The Beginning of the End (2006); Maniacal is their Century Media debut. The album was co-produced by As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis and Life of Agony guitarist Joey Z. Sworn Enemy have opened for the likes of Slipknot and Fear Factory, and toured with Ozzfest.
Relentless is the theme of the album; it starts in overdrive and never lets up. The guitars sound vicious, the vocals are harsh screams courtesy of frontman Sal LoCoco and the drumming is handled by As I Lay Dying's Jordan Mancino, who was more than happy to help the boys out this time around, providing a nonstop foundation of pounding rhythm. It's easy to come to the conclusion that Sworn Enemy are one pissed-off, angst-ridden band. They sound like they wanna fuck you up. Songs like “Time to Rage” and “Destroyer” might be a hint. The material follows a standard and simplistic, yet solid formula: thrash your brains out, insert breakdown as needed and, for the final death blow, add gang-vocal choruses. The guitars sound like they're being mangled sometimes (in a good way) by the duo of Lorenzo Antonucci and Jamin Hunt. There's definitely more of a metal edge on Maniacal than their past two efforts, something the band aimed for with this release. It's got elements of '80s thrash but lies closest in comparison to current metalcore acts. The strongest tracks are “The American Way,” in which Sworn Enemy adds a political theme with the lyrics “We all say what you want us to say/We all hear what you want us to hear," and “A Place of Solace,” on which Lococo basically says, “Leave me the fuck alone already!”
Maniacal is solid but not as experimental as the band or label would have one believe. Nevertheless, it's a worthy combo of thrash and hardcore.
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