Comeback Kid makes good on their name

Few hardcore bands (let alone Canadian hardcore bands) have attained the level of respect and popularity within the scene that Winnipeg's crowned princes Comeback Kid have been able to maintain over the last 8 years. Since the release of their fantastic debut "Turn it Around" on Facedown records in 2003, Comeback Kid have kept a seat at the top of the melodic hardcore heap. When the band signed to Victory Records and released the near perfect fan favorite "Wake the Dead," there may have been just a moment where they were the best, most buzzed about aggressive band in North America. 

A huge part of CBK's success following "Wake the Dead" was the charisma and melodic yowl of frontman Scott Wade. When Wade left the band going into the writing for their third record, The band were left at a crossroads. Hire a mercenary or promote from within? They opted for the latter, moving guitarist Andrew Neufield up to lead vocals and taking Comeback Kid in a new direction for heavily anticipated third album, "Broadcasting…" The album hit shelves in early 2007 to tepid reviews from critics and fans alike. The band had remodeled themselves heavier, less melodic and more metallic. "Broadcasting…" debuted well but fell off the charts quickly. It was clear they were experiencing some growing pains on their first album with Neufield as a singer, and the fan base's reaction was pretty clear: they better get it right next time.

That brings us to "Symptoms + Cures," which just might be the best thing the band has ever committed to tape. "Symptoms" is as melodic as "Broadcasting…" was punishing, at times sounding like Kid Dynamite or Rise Against trapped inside "Tear From The Red" era Poison the Well's body. Neufield truly hits his strike as frontman on the record; alternately wailing and bellowing like a madman. 

Make no mistake about it: "Symptoms + Cures" is not the feel good album of the year. CBK are as pissed off as ever, they're just a little bit more eloquent in their delivery than they have been in the past. "Manifest" and album closer "Pull Back the Reins" rip just as hard as any of their previous material, but the chorus of "Balance" is the catchiest hardcore can sound. It's no completely absurd to imagine "Balance" getting some radio play, aggravated gang vocals and all. 

There is an excellent yin and yang of melody and raw anger that keeps the listener on their toes throughout the duration of the record. The aforementioned Kid Dynamite influence is extremely prevalent on this record, as Neufield bounces seamlessly back and forth between his best impressions of Terror's Scott Vogel and Kid Dynamite' own Jason Schevchuk from song to song. "Symptoms + Cures" seems like the kind of record KD would have come up eventually, if they had stuck around long enough to write a song that lasted longer than two minutes. Andrew Neufield and his band have proven they readjusted beautifully to the loss of Scott Wade on "Symptoms + Cures." Each song seems carefully crafted, part by part, to rebuild any damage the band had done to their name with "Broadcasting…" Four albums into an already illustrious career, Comeback Kid have lived up to their name and bounced back from hard times to regain a little of their glory days with a new batch of songs. Actually, they might be better than ever. "Symptoms + Cures" is on sale at Best Buy this week for $7.99!