Akimbo

Jersey Shores

[4.5/5]

When Akimbo released Navigating The Bronze in 2007, they failed to mention that it was written as a riff-heavy outlet to channel their aggression while working on their masterpiece: A 45-minute concept album about a vicious string of shark attacks on the New Jersey coast in 1916. That isn’t to say Jersey Shores is without aggression-the album swings through bone-crushing riffs, caveman-style drum bashing and some of the most visceral vocals committed to record. The key element for the band’s new direction is the inclusion of atmospheric guitar effects and ambient noise that string the riffs together into one cohesive work. Though the mostly indecipherable lyrics create a slightly abstract storyline, the brutality of the music genuinely reflects the savagery of the attacks, presenting a stunning artistic endeavor for the band whose motto used to be “Eat beer, shit riffs.” (NEUROT) Jesse Raub