Maroon Antagonist

Maroon could easily be written off as a Morning Again rip-off. They sound almost identical with the only difference being some added native Caliban elements thrown in every so often. Some might be reluctant to give these Germans the time of day. I would be one of them. Although I’ve listened to this record more than I probably should have, it’s not all bad. But, by the same token, it’s certainly nothing impressive either. The most notable upside to this release is the eye-catching, glossy digipak which this album comes packaged in. Unfortunately, the music doesn’t live up to the beauty of its package. And although the artwork is pretty bad, at least you know that the label’s intentions were in the right place. It’s nice to see. Like I said before, it’s really hard to get past how much "Antagonist" sounds like Morning Again “Martyr” part 2. The slow melodic hardcore, which flows into streams of metal whenever the moment is just right, and gang chants of vegan/straightedge lyrics, which were Morning Again’s trademark, are all present here. If you think of this as another Morning Again record and not some copycat band trying to recreate the same sound, then you could probably have some fun with this. However, it’s just a bit too close in comparison for my liking. Bottom Line: Rip-off or not, Maroon are both vegan and straightedge so that has to vouch for something these days. I think the scene needs a big kick in the ass like "Antagonist" was meant to be. Unfortunately, Maroon will probably be perceived as a mere laughing stock, rather than a true contender. Word to the wise - create your own sound, don’t rip-off other successful bands. I’m vegan straight edge and I still can’t accept this record for what it is, or what it was meant to be. As hard as I try, it does nothing for me. Call me crazy, call me an asshole. Fuck it, I don’t care. This record is boring and that’s all I have to say.