Artist Bullets and Octane
Album In the Mouth of the Young
Released 2006
Label RCA
Frontman Gene Louis and longtime friend and bassist Brent Clawson moved from St. Louis to Orange County, CA, to started Bullets and Octane in 1999. Soon Ty Smith, a popular punk studio drummer, and guitarist James Daniel, another Missourian, joined the duo. After a European tour opening for Avenged Sevenfold, their sophomore album, In the Mouth of the Young, came out in 2006.
One glance at the credits on In The Mouth Of The Young reveals a promising first impression of the disc. With production by Page Hamilton (Helmet) and a mix by Ken Andrews (Failure), it would be hard for any band to sound like shit, so it’s not all that surprising that Bullets And Octane come out swinging with the ferocity their moniker implies.
Opener “Going Blind” is a hooky, ass-kicking rock gem, and a fine introduction to what’s in store for the remainder of the disc. The onslaught never lets up during any of the 12 tracks, and the band is clearly represented here as a well-oiled juggernaut.
However, the same strength that drives the record as a cohesive body of work also keeps it from being stacked in the “great” pile. Bullets and Octane certainly have their sound down, channeling the gravelly power of classic Motorhead into a more polished package, but they also share the latter band’s aptness to repeat themselves.
While each song on In The Mouth Of The Young is a fine anthem in its own right, it only takes a few tunes before the band starts recycling their ideas. Their tenacity is admirable, but their chops are suitably honed to make the listener wonder how much more remarkable the band could be if they didn’t set out to write an entire record of set-openers.
Still, if the worst thing you can say about Bullets and Octane is that they only know how to do one thing, it seems like needless bitching once you hear how awesomely they do it.
- By TAYLOR KINGSBURYOne glance at the credits on In The Mouth Of The Young reveals a promising first impression of the disc. With production by Page Hamilton (Helmet) and a mix by Ken Andrews (Failure), it would be hard for any band to sound like shit, so it’s not all that surprising that Bullets And Octane come out swinging with the ferocity their moniker implies.
Opener “Going Blind” is a hooky, ass-kicking rock gem, and a fine introduction to what’s in store for the remainder of the disc. The onslaught never lets up during any of the 12 tracks, and the band is clearly represented here as a well-oiled juggernaut.
However, the same strength that drives the record as a cohesive body of work also keeps it from being stacked in the “great” pile. Bullets and Octane certainly have their sound down, channeling the gravelly power of classic Motorhead into a more polished package, but they also share the latter band’s aptness to repeat themselves.
While each song on In The Mouth Of The Young is a fine anthem in its own right, it only takes a few tunes before the band starts recycling their ideas. Their tenacity is admirable, but their chops are suitably honed to make the listener wonder how much more remarkable the band could be if they didn’t set out to write an entire record of set-openers.
Still, if the worst thing you can say about Bullets and Octane is that they only know how to do one thing, it seems like needless bitching once you hear how awesomely they do it.
- By TAYLOR KINGSBURY
Tags: bullets and octane
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