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Miscreants 'Hate Campaign' CD Review
That
reputation has materialized through perseverance and a no-holds-barred
attitude. It's been 15 years since front man Pat Kuhn and lead guitarist
Jamey Mann joined forces to form the nucleus of the Miscreants. Along with
fellow cohorts, bassist Shawn Yancer, lead guitarist Mark Genigeski
and drummer Brian Delbosque, the band continues to spread mayhem and
wreckage wherever they play. In addition to playing the Saginaw and Detroit
scenes, including the Michigan Deathfest and headlining the annual Altered Skin
Revolution bash; they have opened for numerous national acts such as
Overkill, Six Feet Under, Clutch, Manowar and Incantation. With the same, if not more overpowering performance than a national act, the Miscreants showcased their strength at their cd release party with a live remote broadcast by Z93 as well as decimating performances by opening acts Know Lyfe, Downfall and Silverspork. The hour long set consisted of old and new material including the crowd-pleaser "This Crowd Sucks" and "Breathe" from 'Restrained' and the Richter scale shattering cuts "Friend of No One" and "Two" from 'Hate Campaign'. Delbosque's drumming is a doomsday machine in action with Yancer's stentorian base lines providing the backbone of the outfit. The apocalyptic riffs and solos from axe masters Mann and Genigeski are a case study in sheer brutality. Kuhn's tenacious domination of the stage and the crowd is unparalleled. For those fans that have been waiting for new material from the band, the wait is over. Unlike 1998's 'Restrained', the band took a different route in making 'Hate Campaign'. 'Restrained' was produced and recorded at Downtown Digital Studios in Saginaw, but the band was not satisfied with the finished product. After shelling out $5000 and having to grapple with a multitude of musical differences between the band and the producer, the band opted to self-produce "Hate Campaign" from start to finish, with recording and mixing split between Mann's house in Detroit and Kuhn's in Saginaw. When
asked how to compare the creation of the two albums, Genigeski explains; "With
'Restrained', the producer wanted to do it all his way. With this new
album, there was not as much pressure, there was more time and it was not so
rushed". Where did inspiration for the album's title emanate from? According to Kuhn, "it came in a fit of rage one day. It was a phone call from an individual that really pissed me off, I responded with 'we're not dealing with this hate campaign'. It comes down to retaliation. What you serve is what you get". The track "Heavy" sheds further light on the meaning behind the album title. "It's about being in a town where you are being judged on the basis of your clothes, hair, tattoos. That's what the Hate Campaign is. It is hatred toward judgmental people".
Another skull-crushing cut from the new album is 'Vortex', which is about being
trapped in the local music scene, which is marinated in alcohol and drugs. "The
challenge is to move on, but you get sucked back into the Vortex", explains
Kuhn. But credit must be given where it is due. "The real driving force behind
this band is Jamie, Mark and Brian, with a little help from Bushmill's, Jack
Daniel's, Jagermeister and Budweiser", laughs Kuhn. Hopefully, this album will propel the band to further heights along with fomenting more support and advertising from local bars and media outlets. That goes not only for the Miscreants, but other local original acts as well. Kuhn adds, "It would be great if there were more coverage and advertisements by the local media for local original bands. Z93 has expanded it's coverage of local acts, which is great". But beyond working to gain more support and visibility in today's increasingly cookie-cutter rock-metal world, what is the most important aspect of being a Miscreant? "The Miscreants are like a family", Kuhn explains. "When it comes down to it, the best thing about being in this band is to jam. To look out and see one person happy at our shows makes it all worthwhile."
Judging from the raucous response from their growing fan base at their
devastating live shows, the Miscreants have more reasons than ever to continue
on the warpath as they bring their 'Hate Campaign' to a venue near you.
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