Altsounds - Without Thought - Get Down and Give Me Infinity [Album]

"Get Down and Give Me Infinity" is the new full length release from Without Thought, an edgy punk / metal band from Guildford, UK. Without Thought released an EP in 2004 and a couple of singles earlier this year, but this appears to be their first LP. They have gotten attention from the likes of Matt Pinfield (MTV/Sony USA) and Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) and the buzz around their new release is pretty good. They have earned it; the album is fairly impressive.

Without Thought displays one of my favorite things to hear in a metal band: melodic sense. That doesn’t mean they use it all the time, of course. The album jumps from accessible punk / pop hooks to blistering metal and back with relentless facility, most notably in the vocals. One moment you think you’re listening to Jimmy Eat World or Blink 182, then suddenly they sound like Every Time I Die or Car Bomb.

What grabbed me most on "Get Down and Give Me Infinity" is how skilled the musicians are on their instruments. The heavily distorted guitar is fast and powerful, buzzing deftly through lines both complicated and melodic. The percussion is outstanding, creating hard grooves using precision stops and starts, rapid double bass pedal, and great rhythmic technique. The bass work is solid and creative.

"Get Down and Give Me Infinity" is technically impressive and has a genre-bending freshness, but isn’t a wall-to-wall winner. Without Thought have found a great intersection, but they tend to lose me when they lean too far in one direction or the other. 'Regratamine' is a fairly predictable and familiar post-punk pop song. 'In Your Hands' is full-on metal with technique-heavy instrumentals and throat-ripping vocals that wear on my ear after a while.

However, where they most seamlessly blend the genres, they are entirely successful. 'Open Your Eyes' features straight-ahead metal verses and more of a punk chorus. The bridge is cool too, as they break it down for some well-placed harmony backing vocals before kicking it back into overdrive for a killer finish. 'The Krunch' is an even blend of punk and math rock with a radio-friendly chorus.

Of course, the songs that miss me will still reach out and grab others. Without Thought are very good at what they do and have a sound I haven’t heard done this well very often. If modern pop / punk is too cotton candy for you or if you like your metal with a little more melody, 'Get Down and Give Me Infinity' will be right in your wheelhouse.