Glasseater 7 Years Bad Luck

Throw in a smidgeon of metal, a dash of punk, a spoonful of hardcore, and a touch of emo, and you might get something similar to Glasseater. Formed in 1998, this Miami outfit won't brutally assault you with metal riffage, but their arsenal does include pleasant vocal harmonies and pop sensibility. It can be fairly difficult to combine a variety of musical styles into a cohesive unit, but Glasseater seems comfortable tackling the challenge. The driving force behind the band is the vocalist. The majority of the vocals are delivered in a clean, almost boyish fashion, but there is a fair amount of hardcore screaming as well. At times the two are combined into some thoughtful harmonies (check out "The Magic Song"). Regardless, the words are almost always clear and easy to understand. Glasseater displays solid musicianship and in general the music is tight, upbeat and energetic. Impatient listeners will probably appreciate the abundance of catchy riffs and melodies on the album. Songs like "Betting On A Loser" and "Last Song" will have you humming after just a few listens. Be warned though. Those of you who absolutely must have bone-crushing hardcore will probably want to look elsewhere, because 7 Years Bad Luck is generally a "happy" album, and the band tends to eschew dark or brooding themes. Bottom Line: Some of the material on 7 Years Bad Luck is downright poppy. There is even a Skid Row cover on here (it's pretty good though). And while Glasseater tends to cover ground that's already been traversed numerous times, they're good at what they do, and this album will grow on you in no time.