Subliminal Criminals by Stray From The Path

It's been two long years since Stray From The Path made a name for themselves with 2013's Anonymous and it's been an even longer seven years of hard graft to get to a place where they can release an album as purposeful as Subliminal Criminals. Album number five continues with themes of the aforementioned Anonymous but ramps up the anger by about a thousand to really make a mark among all the angry bands of their kind.

Drew is spitting pure venom over some of the ugliest, gnarliest riffs this band have every created and it's just absolutely grizzly. From Outbreak which really hammers home the title of the album ("subliminal criminals" is bound to be a new fan favourite chant at shows) to the frantic These Things Have To Fall Apart, Subliminal Criminals is something no one else could have created. Badge And A Bullet Pt. 2 fills you full of the anger that SFTP are emanating with shouts of "where the fuck is the justice?" and then roars of "can't hide in your brick house, pussy" on D.I.E.P.I.G. However, it is the spattering of guest artists that make this album a force to be reckoned with. First world problem child could be a bit of a gimmick with war cries of "every rich white kid's got something to say - shut the fuck up!" but Architect's Sam Carter's vocal saves the day. One of this blog's favourite men, Rou Reynolds, features on Eavesdropper which nearly drops by the waist-side until Drew unites with Rou and the song takes on a new life. Cody B Ware features on Future Of Sound which almost creates a respite on the album but not for long as the track drops back into a beastly attack in keeping with the rest of the album.

Subliminal Criminals is full of disgust about the injustices of the world and is a conversation which is creatively illustrated through the warped and wonderful genre of hardcore. Stray From The Path haven't created a masterpiece here but they've certainly created a talking point and that is why you should get your hands on this album asap.

7/10
Listen to: Outbreak, Badge And A Bullet Pt. 2