Review of Closer Than Kin - The Machineries of Breath

In this week's chapter, we look at an up-and-coming band from southeastern Massachusetts, Closer Than Kin. Being from the area, I had heard of the band, but I had never actually heard their music. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the guitarist, Steve, is from my own little suburb. (BR football - 1998 state champs! Woo!!) Anyway, I don't know the guy, but that fact earns the band a gold star. CTK play modern hardcore, and play it pretty well with a bit of infused melody and lots of aggression. Unlike a lot of the bands referred to as hardcore nowadays (Unearth, Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Hatebreed, etc.), CTK remembers that hardcore was once derived from punk rock. Every so often they throw in a riff that brings me back to the old NYHC scene with bands like Madball. Like what seems to be the trend nowadays, they substitute screaming and clean singing, but here, the clean voice sounds more genuine. The screams are generic but they convey a sense of urgency. The production is pretty good as well. The Euphoria of Strangulation opens up the album with a slowly building ascension to chaos. By a minute into the song the band is in full breakdown mode. From there it's a fast old-school riff with alternating screams and croons, short little melodic riffs and big breakdowns. The clean voice is a bit unique, but it eventually endeared itself to me. This song is sure to get the pitmongers going. 3 Words 3,000 Tears starts off like a continuation of the last song, but all of a sudden it slows down to some light strumming and bass with Nicholas Principe screaming his heart out. When Toys are Traded for Tears gets all old-school on your ass. Dead Flowers for a Dying Lover again features the alternating screams/cleans, but throws them over pounding, thrashy riffs in the finest song of the album. CTK sets themselves apart from the pack with the occasional acoustic break, such as in the emotional 14 Scars and the opening of Closing Chapter. This is a damn solid submission from a band with success ahead of them. Although a couple of the songs don't differentiate themselves enough and border on being filler, Closer Than Kin has managed to carve out their own sound in the cluttered hardcore scene. It's a good album, and if they come to your area check CTK out; I think that they have enough going on to keep the average metalhead happy. I'll be keeping an eye out for any Boston shows.

Release Details

Closer Than Kin

The Machineries of Breath

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