I knew next to nothing about this band before checking out this album but the fact that they are "recommended for fans of: Dinosaur Jr., Black Flag, Hüsker Dü, and Black Sabbath" was enough to spark my interest. This was a tad misleading as the band doesn't have too much in common with those four bands, with the exception of Black Flag (specifically My War-era) but they aren't completely off. The Sorely Trying Days take the brutal, hardcore sound of Black Flag, mix it with melodies reminiscent of early Dinosaur Jr., throw in some heavy riffs that Black Sabbath were well known for and top it off with the raw aesthetics found on Hüsker Dü's earlier recordings. That's a complicated way to put the band's sound in a nutshell, but when listening to their debut album, Survival Mode, there's a very simple answer to what these guys play: punk rock, plain and simple.
Despite all of the overtones, Survival Mode is a straight up punk rock record. The band's DIY ethics are present with the very raw sound, gritty guitar tone, and the energetically shouted vocals where all three members contribute. The band manages to keep their sound fresh by varying their style with each track, so this album doesn't get tiring fast. The opener, "Everybody's Bitch" begins with a catchy guitar line before the three vocalists come in and take over the track. The song "Survival Mode" begins with a haunting buildup with the guitars and then turns into a fast, hardcore sounding track where the band wears their Black Flag influence on their sleeves proudly. "The Music has Stopped" starts with some heavy feedback almost tricking the listener when it's followed by the heavy yet lighthearted sounding guitar line that follows it. They even throw in a couple of instrumental songs, "Destroyed in Seconds" and "Red Turned Green," which keep the momentum of the album going at a steady pace.
There's also a little story being told on this album; the story of the band's hometown, Kokomo, Indiana. According to Forbes Magazine, Kokomo is "the third fastest dying city in the United States" and the band are pouring out all of their anger, frustration, and agony into this record. "About the Good Times" sums up everything pretty well with how they ask where the good times always went and if they ever want to live to see them again. The title track also shows the band's frustration with the current recession America is going through. "Stay Out" gives the album a memorable send off with it's callback guitar line. This is a band showing their anger with the current situation of the country from a personal view rather than a political one, which makes it very appealing to me. The fact that it's all coming from first hand encounters makes it even more authentic.
There are a lot of bands that love to sing about America's problems, but how many of them are coming from one of the areas that have been hit the hardest by this recession? How many of them can write a record this powerful or embodies their frustration as much as Survival Mode does? Not a lot. The fact that this is The Sorely Trying Days' debut album also leaves me very impressed. It's a little inaccessible for those not into really raw sounding music at first, but after a few listens, this record will win you over. You'll be wanting to listen to songs like "Everybody's Bitch" on repeat for hours.
