In my experience, "expanding one's horizons" is generally not good. The tired cliche has been used to justify entirely too much torture, like childhood accordion lessons, or worse, a bad album from a good group. So when I heard Adamantium's new release was "different," I was worried. But fear not, hardcore fans: Adamantium can expand all the horizons they want, and as proof they present us with the album When it Rains, it Pours.
Ask any X-Men fiend what adamantium is and they will respond without missing a beat: "That's what Wolverine's claws are made out of. It's the strongest metal." (I've done this before, they all say the exact same thing. It's uncanny.) This is where the group reputedly got the inspiration for their name, and the obvious metal pun is certainly appropriate. Though difficult to categorize, Adamantium's sound is definitely hard, incorporating the best of punk, hardcore, metal, and even a little (very little) bit of emo. Perhaps being from Newport Beach, California, and so far from the unofficial center of hardcore on the East Coast, contributes to their unique sound.
Whatever it is, Dave Mandel of Indecision Records heard it when he saw them play in December of 1997: not long after, Adamantium was the newest addition to the label. Less than a year after that, the band was invigorating the hardcore scene with their first CD, From the Depths of Depression. The album was mainly characterized by brutal double-bass, heavy guitars, and great metal riffs; the kind of first release hardcore bands dream of. And yet, seemingly tossed in among the fury, was one beautiful acoustic piece hinting that Adamantium is capable of much more.
When it Rains, it Pours is by no means soft or toned down. It is, however, incorporative of more variety than their previous CD. On the whole the disc is not quite as fast as Depression, but the songs are more sophisticated. The variation is partially reflective of three band member changes: Keith Barney, Sean Rosenthal, and Matt Horwitz, the respective guitarist, bassist, and drummer on the first album have since left the group and been replaced by Dan Sena, Jim Schwartz, and Jarrod Alexander. That leaves vocalist Aaron Stone and guitarist Aaron Lisi as the only original members, so I find it almost surprising that their style didn't change more.
Adamantium do not consider themselves a very political band, at least not with respect to one cause. Their lyrics do not necessarily promote or denounce any particular philosophy, which may be due to the diversity of the band's members. Instead, they feed the "angry because I am, dammit" emotions that we all need to cater to every once in awhile.
If your musical diet is lacking in variety, this would be a good disc to check out. Adamantium bridges the gap between many musical genres; it has versatile appeal. Add to that the genuine talent of the band members and a killer live show, and Adamantium may soon become a favorite. Give it a try.
