Some bands seem to begin at the end. I can explain this easily with The Black Maria. The band began when Grade, Zyon and New Day Rising fell apart. You would think that this album would showcase a hardcore super-group at their finest but it is exactly the opposite. The Black Maria wanted to make a mark on the indie scene, without going back to their roots (even though the roots are presented in a smaller fashion). It seems to make a mark, you have to really do something special with an album and “Lead Us To Reason” is an attempt at this.

The album begins with the hard rocking track “The Memento.” At first you think, hardcore church music but as soon as the vocals come in to effect you see a rocking punk band at their finest. This song has a few chants, great chord progressions and the chorus is fast and aggressive. This band seemed to watch their punk rock peers and add a little of their flavor to it for the sound they display. A few screams amongst the chorus, but I would not consider this band emo-core in the least. The second track “Betrayal” is a solid track to follow. It is slower paced, showcasing the strong vocals of Chris Gray. This song shows more of a rock influence. This song is less hard-hitting than the song before it, but that doesn’t take away from it at all. The third track “Organs” starts off with a slower tempo and Mike DeEyre, along with his bass duties, plays a little keyboard in this track. I could see this song playing on an alternative rock station, if they played music worth listening to. “Our Commitment’s A Sickness” is a very hard rocking song. The song is a great listen, the band seems to show off on this track. Kyle Bishop and Alan Nacinovic really rip out with their guitars and show an unbelievable amount of energy. “The Distance From The Bottom” starts off with an up-tempo rock feel, a little more pop sensible than the other tracks. This song is solid, and overall an awesome track. It sounds a lot like Foo Fighters and other highly explosive rockers.

The sixth track is the odd ball. “The Lines We Cross” is a piano song, that is pretty cool but average at best. It keeps the album interesting. Even though a lot of songs sound a lot a like, this song gives some variation. “Mirrors And Cameras” is the following track. The song is fueled by Derek Petrella’s drumming which really speeds up the song. This song shows a great chemistry with the group, there isn’t really a dull spot in the track. The song comes together and shows a bond of the musicians. “Sirens” is the eighth track of the album. The effects in this song add to the enjoyment, this song seems to bring in their hardcore/ punk influence. The chorus is very catchy, and the band shows a great amount of energy as you would expect from seasoned professionals. “To Have Loved” follows and seems to slow the tempo down a bit. This song is an awesome listen, this is the love song on the album. Catchy as anything, and a terrific listen. Chris Gray really shows off his great singing voice on this song, and the music progression is awesome. “Ash” is the tenth track on the album. This song seems to continue what the band does best and that is rock as hard as possible. This band really shows a lot in this album and this song is proof of that. “Rats In The Prison” is much faster paced than most of the tracks. Guest vocals by Keith Buckley (Every Time I Die) really keeps the track interesting. This is a great finisher for the group. Finishes the album with the bang that was appropriate.

The Black Maria spawned from some of the most infleuntial hardcore bands, yet this album is far from that. Give this band a chance if you haven’t listened to any of their work as of yet, they seem to have something for everyone. Their music is, for the most part, fast, raw and aggressive but still has good sensibilities to keep the listener intrigued.

This album is for fans of Endicott, Foo Fighters, Grade and everything in between. A solid release for the group, we should be seeing a lot more of these guys in the future. They should also be touring in a city near you, and from the looks of it, their live show should be something worth seeing.

Rating- B (8.3)

Significant Tracks- “Rats In The Prison”, “Organs”, “The Memento”, “To Have Loved”

Keith Joseph

www.theblackmaria.com
www.victoryrecords.com