On their 10th studio album, Alkaline Trio prove they still have more macabre, moody jams to deliver.
If you made a list of underappreciated bands from the 2000's Pop Punk/Emo scene, I'd have to think that Alkaline Trio would be one of the first bands that would spring to mind. Since their debut release 'Goddamnit' in 1998, the trio have released quality, consistent records that hold up to anything else in the genre. Even during Matt Skiba's time with Pop Punk titans Blink-182, they found the time to release 'Is This Thing Cursed?' in 2018. Nearly six years later, and with Matt Skiba performing full time in the band again, they've returned with 'Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs.'
The opening track of a record is arguably one of the more important parts of releasing an album, as making a strong first impression can make or break a project. 'Hot for Preacher' kicks things off with a bang, with a fun and heavy lead riff and a memorable lead vocal performance by Matt Skiba, something consistent with the rest of the record.
Lyrically, 'Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs' contains the sharp, bitter, often macabre fans have come to expect, this time with more of a sense of wisdom and certainty sprinkled throughout. On 'Versions of You', Dan Andriano takes the helm at the lead vocal position, with his more raspy and sharp voice telling the bitter story of a two faced companion well. 'Teenage Heart', the closing track, laments the current landscape that this generation of teen is growing up into. Matt Skiba wails "All I want for Christmas is an AR-15,
My stocking stuffed with fentanyl. Drop like a fly at the ripe age of sixteen, Wishing I had a friend to call," not afraid to shine a grim light on a culture ripe to chew up and spit out anyone who strays down a bad path.
Dan and Matt trade off lead vocal duties throughout the record, with their vocals being similar enough to fit together, but distinct enough to each have their own feel on their respective tracks. Sometimes, their voices can get a tad bit lost in the very heavily compressed and noisy mix, but never to the point of being so bothersome that it becomes hard to listen to.
While it may not have the intensity, angst, and power of their more youthful releases, I'd argue that 'Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs' can stand up to anything in their library. They're still just as brash and unfiltered as ever, and the years of experience under their belt have given them the power to create the tight, compact, digestible record that they've created.
Standout Tracks: 'Hot for Preacher', 'Versions of You', 'Bad Time', 'Shake With Me', 'Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs', 'Teenage Heart'.
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