The Only Constant Is ChangeVarious ArtistsVolcom Entertainment
Two out of five stars
The fringes of society are tied together by strings of resistance.
It is this very rebellion that unites movements such as underground music and extreme sports to one another. The Volcom clothing company has been a catalyst in this rebellion for the past 15 years.
After nearly a decade in the music biz, Volcom Entertainment has become a beacon of hope for musical integrity. Spearheading projects from a variety of sonic styles, one common trait has run through the veins of each Volcom artist: a do-it-yourself moral ethic.
This independent candor manifests itself vividly in the label’s latest compilation release, titled, The Only Constant is Change.Consisting of 46 rare and unreleased tracks from rising indie stars and past punk staples, these anthologies of musical aptitude showcase the unity of the underground.
Regretfully-through even the most blinding idealism-solidarity cannot save the soul of a terrible song.
Striking the match for this declaration is an A-List of Punk royalty. Representing the lifeblood of the independent music scene, genre all-stars Pennywise, Guttermouth, Bigwig and Death By Stereo grace Disc A’s introductory tracks. However, on first listen it becomes painfully clear why these songs are rare and unreleased: They’re not very good. A steady stream of sour live recordings and spoiled LP leftovers mark many of the compilation’s most triumphant artists with horrifying misrepresentations of their talents.
Then there are the artists whose talents are nowhere to be found. Disc B is christened with radio feedback that transforms into a strange amalgam of new-wave dance beats and horn-rimmed “nerd-rock.” This pretentious cacophony is presented under the moniker Single Frame and where groups such as The Faint have fused these components into a streamlined consummation, Single Frame crash and burn.
Equally aggravating is the overflow of B-grade nu-screamo. While its explosion was every A&R agent’s wet dream, the genre was singing its own swan song at its christening. Obviously A Faith Called Chaos, Trophy Scars, Scatter The Ashes, Bleed The Dream, and Shadow Agency didn’t get that memo.
Just as The Only Constant is Change begins to slip the noose around its neck, a few glimmers of hope come to the rescue. Colorado’s Vaux runs circles around their threadbare disc-mates while imbibing the spacey dynamics of Radiohead or Muse into a template of progressive hardcore la Refused and stoner rock akin to the Queens of the Stone Age. In the same vein, hardcore kids turned prog rockers Codeseven contribute a track that is equal parts Failure and Bjork. This odd dichotomy melds into a beautiful matrimony of jagged, delayed guitar tones and dark melodies that will have rockers weeping and shoe gazers throwing punches in the pit.
Sadly, in the end, neither its visionary highlights nor its wishful solidarity can cut the rope before the chair is kicked out from under this compilation. And in spite of Volcom’s good intentions, The Only Constant is Change fails to breathe life into its purpose.
Dan Fletcher