Alkaline Trio – Agony & Irony

Alkaline Trio were the latest underground favourites to join the big leagues. Originally they joined V2 Records but before they could release their major label debut the label shut its doors; so the trio’s major label debut belongs to Epic – a label which isn’t truly renowned for their punk rock contribution (unless you count Good Charlotte…). However, the label doesn’t really play that much of a role in the album itself, its just something for the scenesters to bicker about. What matters is the music and in that regards, Alkaline Trio have delivered the goods.

There’s no denying that Agony & Irony initially sounds quite different to the loyal fan thanks to its production by Josh Abraham (Limp Bizkit, Pink, Korn, Staind, CrazyTown, Static-X). It is smoother and much more well rounded than anything found on Goddamnit or Alkaline Trio; but at the same time it doesn’t sound as glossy as Crimson did either. It’s a more complete sound than anything the band has done before, it’s lost some of its edge in some aspects but is able to make up for it during its’ arena anthem moments; particularly in Derek Grant’s drumming. Abraham may have taken off some of the raw edges but the album doesn’t suffer from it whereas some albums would.

Instead, Agony & Irony is able to build on the clean production to lift their dark punk to new heights. The songs are, at their core, classic Alkaline Trio songs. Calling All Skeletons, one of the highlights of the album, successfully blasts of the release with Skiba’s voice screaming “Here it is again yet it stings like the first time” backed up by a chorus of handclaps before the song expands with a full spectrum of sound. It immediately grabs your attention and doesn’t let you go as the familiar, desolate croon of Skiba comes through the speakers. Help Me, a song about Joy Division‘s Ian Curtis doesn’t let up either and by the time Dan Adriano’s song In Vein comes in, all doubts are put to rest: Alkaline Trio have successfully released a strong major label debut. A debut that will increase their fan base a bit but won’t do it at the expense of their older fans.

Yes, there are some slightly odd moments like the spoken introduction and samples on I Found A Way; but Skiba’s vocals are able to surpass that hiccup as they’re by far the strongest they’ve ever been on the song. Adriana’s Do You Wanna Know? becomes one of his best songs to date and the anthemic chorus of “Live young, die fast / No one will last / So sit back and relax / Enjoy the crash / You’re fading to black and it’s gone / Live young, die fast“ on Live Fast, Die Young sets up the four minute track to be the next Radio.

Is this their best effort yet? No; but it isn’t their worst either. Instead it ranks nicely in the middle somewhere and is sure to please any fan of the band if they take the chance to look past some of the extra gloss.