Various Artists – Change!

Throughout the years, Sub City has released a steady stream of compilation releases to benefit various charitable organizations. Change! is the label’s latest addition to that stream. A two disc compilation featuring twenty one songs and seventeen music videos, Change! is a look at the who’s who of the hardcore and metal scene all the while benefiting the Hot Topic Foundation. However, no matter the intention or the cause of the release, it is the music that really matters and I can’t help but feel that Change! is just a little too”scene” and fits quite nicely as a Hot Topic exclusive release.

Opening up with Chiodos, Silverstein and Saosin, the listener immediately knows what they’ll be getting: emo induced post-hardcore tracks that are perfectly polished and features evenly distributed screaming and melodic vocals. In fact, most of the first half of that record follows that scripture perfectly as Change! swivels through tracks from the likes of Alesana, The Chariot, The Human Abstract, The Devil Wears Prada and Parkway Drive.

Near the midway point, they do switch it up a bit as they enter into much heavier territory that leans heavily on the use of metal and hardcore. Songs by Job For A Cowboy, Converge, Poison The Well, andHORSE The Band all light a fire under the listener’s ass with their sheer intensity and heavy breakdowns. One listen to the extremely sporadic Here, Take This Pill by See You Next Tuesday and you’re left wondering how they fit in the mix alongside the mild acts like Aiden or Fall Of Troy but there it is anyway.

It’s a slightly disjointed mixture that doesn’t come over too painfully but still leads you with the impression that they’re trying too hard to be complacent to the popular trends of the underground these days. Ignoring that little factor, along with the simple fact that I’m not a massive fans of the genres displayed on the compilation, Change! does hit a few highs along with a few low spots as far as compilations are rated. The first high point is the addition of the DVD with seventeen music videos on it. While not necessarily a massive selling point by itself, having the DVD thrown in as a companion piece to the CD was a smart idea as it gives the fans another little item to hoard and higher quality videos compared to the youtube versions you’re normally stuck with. Once again it features a slightly odd mixture of bands ranging from Boys Night Out, Kaddisfly, Alesana, Escape The Fate and Silverstein to Converge, August Burns Red and Job For A Cowboy among others. Contrary, the straight downside of the compilation is a rather simple one: every single song on here was previously released in the past two years. There’s not a single rare or unreleased or hard to find cut on Change!; and since it’s not really a retrospective release of any sort you, as a listener, want some hidden gems in there but Change! features none.

Despite the pitfalls, at just 9.99$, Change! is a worthy enough purchase for fans of the post-hardcore and metal genres. There’s no surprises, no hidden secrets and nothing truly of note in the record but it does do what it set out to do and that was to offer a glimpse at the current popular trends of the heavier side of the underground. After one look at the track listing you’ll know what to expect and from then you can determine whether or not it would be worth your while.