One Win Choice – Conveyor

It’s always reassuring knowing that upstarts like One Win Choice keep on chugging in spite of today’s Hot Topic culture.  The increasingly veteran Philadelphia, PA band aligns more with the Fat Wreck Chords philosophy of rolling with the punches than searching for an in crowd.  They play what they want in a melodic metal/rock informed punk way without sensor as they speak their socially conscious mind.

Their third record, Conveyor, opens with their now familiar mix of Bridge Nine Records-era Strike Anywhere, and the raggy vocal blend of Propaghandi and Rise Against.  Previous albums strived at reaching that natural, mosh-inducing formula synonymous with sweat stained t-shirts and sticky, beer marked floors.  In that regard One Win Choice has never sounded so natural.  Guitars race between shouty choruses and melodic bridges, never settling on a single influence, dynamically twisting and morphing as Dan Kloza’s vocals undulate energetically.  One of the best mixes slams down in “Paint Me A Better World.”  Heavy on vocal harmonies and aided by a legion of supporting “woahs” and the war-like thumping of drummer Justin Phillips, Kloza shouts “someone watch over me, give me shelter, give me safety,” speaking to a crumbling world.  The sentiment echoes on “Who Threw Out The Itinerary?” with the desperate question “is this a dead end? Is this the way out?” amidst a passionately internalized challenge to the powers that be.

Along those lines, Conveyor confronts listeners headlong with themes of guilt and ownership, challenging spectators to assume citizenship.  For instance, as implied by “Where My Allegiance Lies’” title, people must figuratively draw a line in the sand or face a live of passivity.  “Who wrote this history?  So clean, so incomplete” they chant, daring their audience to face up and expose the daily injustices that the powers that be neatly sweep under the rug.  The intent doesn’t come across as one of a paranoid conspiracy theorist, rather that of taking ownership, and engaging listeners as agents of change (akin to Unit F).

With Conveyor, One Win Choice has given their all, advancing their tested and true punk rock formula for an outright organic explosion of passion.  If you’re looking for anything terribly original, there’s room for disappointment, but if you know your niche and can’t get enough of staples Strike Anymore, Rise Against, and Propaghandi, then you’ve probably been following One Win Choice and already know that Conveyor is a safe bet.