Oh The Humanity – Self Titled

Massachusetts quintet Oh The Humanity is a breath of fresh but familiar air for those looking for something new in the technical punk genre. Bands like A Wilhelm Scream, The Shell Corporation, Samuel Caldwell’s Revenge and Darko dominated the last decade, but their activity and coverage seems to have petered out, so when a band like Oh The Humanity comes out with a killer sophomore full length, it serves as a jolt to the heart of an often dormant genre.

The self-titled album boasts eleven rip roaring tracks that span a speedy thirty minute run without ever pumping the breaks.  The band defines its sonically aggressive personae with full bodied, metal-tinged riffs and that soar through layers of melody and vocal harmonies.  Opening with “At Our Lowest,” the band eases listeners in with an extended instrumental intro that loosely flexes their sonic muscle while flirting with the level of intensity Oh The Humanity is willing to reach. Then, “Wits End” smashes any sense of reserve like an eighteen wheeler barreling through a brick wall.  Boasting a breakneck pace and fantastically ambitious barrage of finger flying riffs, the track instantly solidifies the collective talents of duelling guitarists Chris DiIeso and James Silvio.  Others like “Everyone in Gainesville (Looks Like Someone I Know)” boast strong gang vocals that bolster each chorus with a salvo of singable harmonies.

Lyrically, the band aims for a mix of political and personal themes that make for a very balanced combination of introspection and outward observation.  For instance, on “Perspective” vocalist Kevin Athas sings, “as I age, I wonder how much I have left, when will time catch up to me,” challenging those aging within the punk scene to reflect on meaning and purpose.  “Altruism Born of Suffering” piggybacks with a similar message, confronting listeners with the line, “We’ve got our whole short lives to get ready to die, but when we look back we want to know that we left our marks behind.”  Oh The Humanity doesn’t shy away from the fact that many of those years are spent in a capitalistic haze of daily grind monotony.  “Spent my days waiting for night, so I could rinse, repeat” describes Athas of the cycle that traps many people for decades of their lives.  On “Perspective,” the band ends the album by presenting these concepts as a choice in perspective, illuminating that “It’s so much easier to loathe the sunrise, than appreciate another day to be alive,” placing the responsibility of one’s mindset squarely in the hearts and minds of each individual.  The messages aren’t intended to disenchant, but rather jolt listeners awake to the prospect of self-improvement.

Oh The Humanity’s self-titled sophomore album serves as a fine mission statement for a band looking to make its mark in a genre known for its intensity and technicality.  The band doesn’t aim to rewrite the playbook, but they have definitely read it thoroughly and applied its teachings every step of the way.  Fans of A Wilhelm Scream, The Shell Corporation, and Samuel Caldwell’s Revenge certainly stand to add a new favourite to their playlists.