Labels: Grand Royal
Review by: Luke Younger
I’ve liked this band for a while now. Notice the key word there: “LIKED”. Not loved, not hated, just liked. ATDI have never totally inspired me in the past. They’ve just really taken the best parts from Drive Like Jehu and Fugazi and mixed them around a bit creating records that I would just put on for about half an hour and then switch off thinking “that’s enough”. So imagine my delight when ferocious opener “Arcarsenal” kicks in with screaming terror. Great way to open a record, and this is ATDI at their best for two reasons. Firstly despite what people may tell you, Ross Robinson has improved their sound so much. The whole thing is less bassy which I think works to the advantage of the songs here, and secondly the songs are much more memorable and just generally better than on previous records. “Pattern Against User”, “Rolodex Propaganda”, “Cosmonaut”, “Invalid Letter Dept” and “Quarantined” are just a few highlights.
At the Drive-In may not be a cool underground band anymore, but they are a better band, and this is a great record.