The Bronx
The Bronx (III)

Review By Brian Baker

The Bronx coalesced five years ago out of an L.A. scene that often devours young bands whole, and flourished in spite of the media/industry frenzy that churned the waters after its very first show. In an impossibly short time frame, the Bronx signed with Island/Def Jam in 2002, released its eponymous hardcore/garage debut in 2003 and toured relentlessly for the next two years. The quartet’s second self-titled release in 2006 broke it wide, ultimately earning it coveted slots on the Warped Tour and a role as Black Flag in the Darby Crash/Germs biopic What We Do is Secret.

For its third eponymous album (oh, don’t be shocked...Peter Gabriel did it), the Bronx has made a few small adjustments, adding a new bassist and second guitarist to expand to a quintet. It’s also left Island, taking its White Drugs label imprint to indie Original Signal. Otherwise, it’s brutal business as usual, with Matt Caughthran shredding vocal howl holding its own against the melodic onslaught of Joby Ford and Ken Horne’s thrashing guitars and the pummeling rhythm section of bassist Brad Magers and drummer Jorma Vik. From the opening crosscut thunder of “Knifeman” to the adrenalized swing of “Inveigh” and the power pop/punk jump of “Past Lives,” the Bronx stirs up all the volatile elements of Rocket from the Crypt, Jane’s Addiction and the Ramones with the visceral approach that defined the first wave of L.A. punk in the ’70s to create a manic sound that is penetratingly satisfying.