2nd chances w/: Misery Index

my favorite East Coast death/grinders

I did it again. I forgot to explain in my original 2nd Chances post that this will be an occasional segment where I discuss bands/albums/movies/whatever that I initially disliked but have since warmed up to. Today, I'm featuring Misery Index's latest album Heirs to Thievery. I had such high hopes for this record when it was released this past spring and was upset that my lofty expectations weren't met (initially). Before I go any further, I should clarify that Misery Index are easily one of my favorite bands around. In fact, I've been a Misery Index fan even before the band existed! After Dying Fetus released their masterpiece, Destroy the Opposition in 2000, 3/4 of the band's lineup quit and formed Misery Index. Toning down the death metal and amping up the grindcore/hardcore sound & ethos, Misery Index has been cranking out consistently awesome extreme music throughout the decade. That, and they're an amazing live act.

And now the album in question. My initial gripes with Heirs to Thievery were with its production and lack of urgency in its songs. The production is amazingly crisp/clear, with everything sounding equally mixed and balanced. That's the problem! Just about every other Misery Index release has been more raw (sometimes a little TOO raw with their EPs) and definitely more abrasive. Heirs to Thievery sounds sterile in comparison. About the songwriting, I remember spinning this CD in the car for the first time and just waiting, waiting to be sonically kicked in the teeth only to find my audible beating never arrived. Misery Index's penchant for frequent time changes and body movin' grooves are still present, but it seems that this album was less about pushing the extreme music envelope and more about cruising through the band's established strengths.

As we near the end of the year and I begin compiling my annual Top 10 lists I couldn't help but give Heirs to Thievery another shot. After numerous recent spins, I've gotten over my initial qualms with the album and now except this record for what it is, a slamming piece of extreme metal. I think watching them play some of the new stuff on their last tour helped win me over also. Shit was awesome live. So yes, the record might sound more reserved due to it's production and there's less blast beats than I would have liked (there's still a lot, I'm just retarded) but it's not the end of the world. The list of guest vocals on the album feature the singers from Dying Fetus, Hate Eternal and Criminal Element, and it's always cool hearing scary sounding dudes scream along with other scary sounding dudes. So in conclusion, I eat a bag of crow and now fully endorse Heirs to Thievery. Is this my favorite Misery Index album? Probably not. Is it a damn good album and does this band still rule beyond belief? Yes.

Here's one of my favorite tracks, where the face melting comes into full effect:


and as a bonus, here's Misery Index's inhuman cyborg drummer Adam playing the album's title track live. I'm scared he's going to explode at one of the band's shows one day. Just LOOK at him: