Album Review: Strung Out - Agents of The Underground

Punk Metal heads Strung Out have always maintained unconventional success and stick their middle finger up to all that is corporate and mainstream and their latest offering “Agents of the Underground” is a testament to that.

“Black Crosses” kicks off proceedings with a fat solid chunk or dark dissonant metal fused punk, which will rock your core. It’s pulse and sheer driving force is relentless and will leave in a cold sweat wondering what the fuck just happened.

Without time to take a breath or mop your brow you’re instantly hurled into “Carcrashradio” which maintains the fast pace and energy of the first track. At this point it’s already clear to hear that these boys aren’t resting on their laurels and with their heart pounding combo of metal and skate punk you can only imagine them getting bigger and better one killer tune at a time.

The fills and chops on “The Fever and the Sound” from drummer Jordan Burns make you wonder if he is some kind of bionic super human cable of drumming your face off. Each tune is as hooky as the last and you can physically feel the adrenaline fill your ears, at the end of “The Fever and the Sound” I felt like I could take on Chuck Liddell!

As a new listener to Strung Out I thought the only way I could do this review justice is to go back and listen to their back catalogue to get a grip on their musical journey. It seems that their early days were all about the skate punk scene through the nineties and it’s the noughties that have seen them make the transition into metalcore punk. “Agents of the underground” Is a perfect example of a band constantly setting new musical goals and executing them with utter style and class.

Jason Cruzs’ hoarse vocal style comes across really well in “Heart Attack” You can hear the emotion in his voice and it compliments the blistering backline perfectly.

This is a fine effort from a band constantly raising the bar and setting the standard among their contemporaries. If you haven’t uncovered the genius that is Strung Out I suggest you get on it immediately!!

4.5/5

'Agents of The Underground' by Strung Out is available now on Fat Wreck Records.

Official Strung Out Website

Ben Bridges