Direct Hit! – “Wasted Mind”
Album Reviews | Jun 20th, 2016
Record Label: Fat Wreck Chords
Genre: Punk
Band Link: Direct Hit on Facebook
Buy On Amazon
“Wasted Mind” is the Milwaukee-based bands follow up to the epic end of the world anthology concept album “Brainless God”, which is one of most fun and unique albums of the past few years. Direct Hit! decided to make a bold move and follow up one concept album with another…and while it doesn’t have that same dark and foreboding vibe to it that “Brainless God” did, it has its own unique sound and feel to it.
Where “Brainless God” focused on the imminent coming of the end of the world in a matter of hours via nuclear armageddon seen through the eyes of cultists, killers and separated couples, “Wasted Mind” tackles the touchy subject of drug use. On one hand, there are songs focused on the obsession of getting that next hit as well as the craziness that your mind puts you through on a drug high. On the other hand, there are cautionary tales that warn of the dangers of the things that drugs do to you as well as those that love you in reality. Direct Hit! also manages to highlight each of these songs with some fun punk rock that jumps around between sub-genres such as pop punk, skate punk and even some thrash punk.
Concept albums can be a tricky subject to handle. If you focus on a particular story element or character too much, you run the risk of listeners losing interest in characters or ideas that they can’t or don’t relate to. If you make things too loose and vague you run the risk of listeners missing the point and not even recognizing that the album follows a concept in the first place. With Direct Hit!, they manage to get things right because they are a very creative band, not only in terms of songwriting but with song structure as well, and they manage to make their main concepts easily accessible and interesting.
Bottom Line: A concept album about drugs seen through the eyes of a bunch of crazies as well as those who are hopelessly addicted and the consequences that they brought upon their lives.
Notable Tracks: Another Dimension, Hospital For Heroes, Forced To Sleep, Bleach Music
Overall Rating:
