Driver Not Included
was a bit of a coming out for
hardcore
outfit
Orange 9mm
, with its punishing rhythms and flashes of
funk
,
metal
, and overall aggression. There is much for listeners to get excited about while listening to vocalist
Chaka Malik
, guitarist
Chris Traynor
, drummer
Matthew Cross
, and bassist
Davide Gentile
churn out their own extremely tight brand of East Coast
.
"High Speed Changer"
is a real standout with its considerable momentum and forceful choruses. Another highlight is the sprawling closer
"Cutting and Draining,"
with its subtle nod to
Quicksand
during the staccato guitar stabs and bass/drum turnarounds.
Malik
struggles every now and then to find his intensity on tracks like
"Thickest Glass,"
but generally the vocalist and every member of
are on pitch throughout
. A very strong effort, this 1995
Elektra
release deserves its own place among the list of important '90s
aggro
/
punk
releases. ~ Vincent Jeffries