Caught in the maelstrom of JR Ewing

Oslo's alternative hardcore/screamo outfit JR Ewing are back with their finest offering yet.

Imagine a blend of legendary Swedish hardcore-punk-crossover Refused (also known as the second most anticipated reunion in history), ...And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead, Janes Addiction and the Blood Brothers. Add a slight touch of the 70's grand rock symphonic arrangements. There you are.

JR Ewing sounds like a million $'s - rock solid, heavy as hell and yet crystal clear. Indeed, they have kept their dynamic and progressive screamo roots, but they have also accomplished to be so much more. Some fans might label the band as "sell-out", naturally as the album is released in Norway on Columbia/Sony/BMG and the guitars are a bit less distorted. Add the fact that singer/shouter Andreas Tylden now mainly sings instead of the screamo vocals previously know as his trademark. No wonder the kids are not alright with this. For the rest of us, this is just magnificent ambiguous and well crafted epic hardcore.

Maelstrom has got it's well deserving raving reviews in Norwegian papers, and this time the reviewers have got it all right. These 35 minutes of soothing torture might very well end up being the Album Of The Year. At least so far, we're still in august.

Check it out for yourself or be a humongusfongusamongus.