This CD is awesome. There's not a whole lot that one can add to that statement; it simply does rock. Punkcore anthems at their best. At times, they sound like ZAO, and at others, MXPX on steroids. That still doesn't entirely describe Stretch Arm Strong, whose songs range from punk beats mixed with Limp Bizkit screams, to the most metalcore riffs in the world. Reminiscent of Youth of Today, this posi-core band is a beautiful bridge between the hardcore world and the punk scene.

Blending several genres of music, Stretch Arm Strong's eleven track CD, although only 33 minutes, is a must-have. Mind you, this is not standard hardcore/metalcore/whatevercore. The vocals are not simply screamed without feeling (not screamed all the time, either). Imagine De La Rocha of Rage Against the Machine doing punk, with Ryan Clark from Training for Utopia right beside him. Chris McLane uses his voice effectively to convey his emotions in song, varying from angst to sorrow. And yes, you hear that sort of description in a lot in reviews, but take my advice and listen to the CD for yourself. You won't be disappointed. As far as charismatic vocals go, Chris' are second only to Ryan Clark's in range and emotion.

Now, the musical aspect. Primarily punk beats, with enough breakdowns to keep the songs interesting. The band uses the punk runs to springboard into an intense blend of thrash and hardcore. Breaks abound…I hear many a bridge in the album that puts a grin on my face. "Through My Actions" is an amazing mix of musicianship combined with chilling vocals, a perfect mix of metal and punk. I listened to it several times over, each time with a smile on my face. The guitars effectively build the song, but the vocals are the thing of beauty. They sound quite a bit like ZAO, but even more shrill and creepy. The song structure for each song is effectively written to the point where you'll want to listen to the song again just to hear a certain part a second time. This is true for almost all of the songs; they all have one part or another where you can't help but to sit there and say, "Dang."

The only things I can complain about are the occasional cliché lyrics ("It's okay for me to say I love you/and it's okay for you to cry"). I realize they're from personal experience, but they're a little cheesy (and that isn't the only case). However, Chris makes up for this in other tracks, where he screams, "Choices I made/the price I paid/it was never enough/it will never be enough…the Truth will burn."

My other complaint is the shortness of the album…I want more. Thirty-three minutes is a stinkin' short full-length, especially when they have a full ten tracks on the CD. But all in all, I recommend this album. It's great, and the minor irritations are easily ignored (after all, who knows what they're screaming anyway?) If you get this album, you won't be disappointed.