A post-traumatic industrial punch to the head is what Spineshank’s music has been called in the past and they definitely don’t fall short on their newest release, Self-Destructive Pattern. Spineshank broke out into the metal scene with Strictly Diesel in 1998 after being found by Fear Factory’s Dino Cazares and signed to Roadrunner Records. Since then they have made a name for themselves as one of the most promising bands in metal touring with the likes of Fear Factory and System of Down, and becoming one of the most popular artists on the independently ran Roadrunner Records. The band; Jonny Santos, Tommy Decker, Rob Garcia, and Souren Sarkisyan create seer dynamics mixing the likes of industrial, thrash, and metal. This album doesn’t miss a beat and doesn’t even slow down. The opening track “Violent Mood Swings” leads off the album with its pounding chorus condemning the idea of insecurity “Don’t wanna be/Don’t wanna see/Don’t wanna speak for yourself”. The track’s beating is either going to make you want to pound your fist in the air or bang your head against a wall. Spineshank still relies heavily on the formula that they used on their previous albums, Strictly Diesel and 2000’s metal masterpiece The Height of Callousness. A soft to heavy approach has been seen a lot in modern metal thinks to the likes of bands like Korn and other nu’ metal acts. The band will do a soft verse involving a vocal melody or harmony and then go to a heavy and pounding chorus. Spineshank pulls this off beautifully on Self-Destructive Pattern. The stop and go method of “Consumed (Obsessive Compulsive) feels like you’re standing in front of a high powered fan and someone is turning it on and off. Spineshank also seemed to have grown musically with their new album as they show a more personal side with songs like “Smothered” and “Beginning of the End”, both dealing with relationships issues of a trial and error nature. “But I’m not the one who seeks your protection/I’m not the one to share the disguise/And, I’m not the one who reeks of rejection/I’m not the one to tear the same way twice” is sung on “Smothered” under a melodic liquid guitar riff. Other songs on the album are the traditional screamfest, courtesy of vocalist Jonny Santos, which are done wonderfully and heavy guitar riffs that fans have grown to love. “Tear Me Down” announces a fight worth fighting against helplessness and fear, screaming “You will never tear me down”. The album’s best and stand out track is its last one “Dead to Me”. The track’s industrial beat and universal theme of banishing those who betray you is the best song on the album by far. “Save yourself the pain/And go away/For the rest of my life/Bury you today/I separate/For the rest of my life” says the breaking of ties is the best thing to do for both parties in this song. By far the coolest part of the album is the last chorus of this song as it uses everyone’s favorite f word, “You’re ****ing dead to me” is screamed over and over again and with each bang of the drum it feels like a punch to your stomach. Self-Destructive Pattern is Spineshank’s newest release in three years and it’s been a long wait, but it was definitely worth it.
Plymouth State University
Sunday, June 29, 2025