Music Review: Articles of Faith - New Normal Catastrophe

Any album that has me throwing on a jacket, strapping on my boots, and taking a long, long drive in the cold of winter deserves some attention. It doesn’t have to be a very long drive, though, as Articles of Faith’s newest EP, New Normal Catastrophe, clocks in at just under 15 minutes. No surprise: this is hardcore punk.

Confession time: I had never heard of Articles of Faith before listening to this album. Apparently they were big in the ‘80s, and just got back together after a 25 years. Surprisingly, all of the original members of the band came together again to hammer-out New Normal Catastrophe. It’s too bad then that they took so long to make another album together; New Normal Catastrophe is fast-paced, get-you-on-your-feet music that shouldn’t be missed if you’re a fan of hardcore punk, or an old fan of Articles of Faith.

By chance my headphones had some sort of problem the first time I listened to the album. Instead of hearing singing, all I could hear was music. Quite surprised by an instrumental opening to a punk album, and intrigued by the boldness of such a move, I listened all the more intently. After the third instrument-only track I figured out there was something wrong.

What this fluke did was give me a chance to focus on the music and ignore the lyrics. I got acquainted with Articles of Faith’s sound before hearing what the song was about -- and the music is great stuff by itself. But after I found a different pair of headphones, I found a whole new album. It’s not the most original punk I’ve ever heard, but man is it good.

The progression of the album is something I love: the first couple songs are good, not great; but then things pick-up and the rest of the album kills. This ensures that I’m going to listen to the whole album, and does away with that B-side curse.

Of course, it could have something to do with there being only five songs. This isn’t a bad thing, by the way. When it comes down to it, most albums only contain about four or five great songs…if you’re lucky. The first two songs, With A Vengeance and Coming Off The Rails are the perfect intro to the rest of the album: they’re both fast and loud and help set the mood. And I think I only say they’re just “good” because I found the next three tracks to be much better. New Normal Catastrophe, the album’s namesake, slows things down a bit, giving the listener a quick breather; don’t break for too long, though, as The Hammer and Brother John help wrap-up the rest of the album with a bang.

If you’re into hardcore punk you’ve probably already grabbed this album. But if for some reason you haven’t, and if you’re an old fan of Articles of Faith, I doubt you’ll be disappointed. I had never heard of them before New Normal Catastrophe and now I can’t wait for their next release.

Not bad for a band that’s been apart for 25 years.