Halifax

The Inevitability Of A Strange World

[3/5] You already know how Halifax spent their summer vacation: putting the finishing touches on their long-awaited debut album and appearing totally smashed on five less-than-flattering episodes of The Real World. But over a year has passed since the Thousand Oaks, California, quintet started recording The Inevitability Of A Strange World, and you have wonder: Now that this thing is finally coming out, do people care too much or too little? If you fall into the latter camp, you might want to consider that, in its peaks, Inevitability is a great hard-rock record that answers the question, “What if Mötley Crüe had emerged in an era when you could download the Armor For Sleep catalog off iTunes?” In 2006, Halifax are mostly about combining their familiar post-hardcore hooks with cowbells, excessive guitar solos and lyrics about blow–which, for about seven songs here, actually feels dangerous. However, there are 13 songs on Inevitability, and for listeners on the other side of the debate–i.e., those who’d rather hear a full album’s worth of sleazy glam rock–shaky ballads like “A Tint Of Rain” and predictable emo rockers like “Giant In The Ring” will just make them realize why all the best hair-metal records barely clocked in at half an hour.
(DRIVE-THRU) Trevor Kelley



ROCKS LIKE: Mötley Crüe’s Too Fast For Love • Emanuel’s Soundtrack To A Headrush • Armor For Sleep’s What To Do When You Are Dead