Cool Devices are a rather violent bunch and their self titled mini-album is a blast of angular riffs, snarled vocals, and a sense that we're all pretty much doomed. The feel good hit of the summer Cool Devicesis not, but it is all sorts of angsty aggression laid out over the course of seven songs. With a sense of urgency and a lot of anger, the band barely spend more than three minutes on each song choosing to hit their mark and hit it fast; leaving a trail of riffs and blood behind. Think of it this way, Cool Devicesis the aural equivalent of a cruise missile headed for someone's house; it's loud, explosive, and guaranteed to leave a crater about fifteen feet deep.
Yet, despite the propensity for violence, It's not until the band actually slows things down that things get truly interesting. With slightly sludgy riffs leading the way the band ploughs through everything in it's path leaving a wake of broken amplifiers, shredded drums, and vocal cords than can never be used again. It's a bit post punk meets the Melvins and it's pretty much guaranteed to leave your ear drums as a puddle of jelly. Mind-numbingly orginal Cool Devices is not, but it's heaviness and desire to leave a trail of carnage behind kind of makes up for that.
Of the two halves of this record, the slower more psychotic stuff is better. Hidden amongst the unruly instrumentation and trail of wreckage are actual attempts at melodies and songs that are memorable. "The Line Starts Here," and "Primitive," for example, are jarring post punk anthems that highlight the potential of this band. Whether or not they live up to that potential is anyone's guess. That being said, Cool Devices, it's rough, raw, and uncompromising and if you don't like it, they might just come over to your house and beat you up until you do.
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