Kane Hodder - The Pleasure To Remain So Heartless

Sonic boom. After the first four tracks of frenetic arrangements, lyricism and screaming I found myself left exhausted and exuberant, wondering if I could keep up with the rest of Kane Hodder’s album, The Pleasure to Remain so Heartless. Luckily, the pace eased during the down-tempo “Heaven help me, I love a psychotic,” giving me just enough of a breather to get back into this dark, charged and striking collection of songs to finish out the ride. I’ve never been particular to “screamo” or other music with an abundance of screaming, but Kane Hodder may have created an exception to the rule. The Pleasure to Remain so Heartless adeptly merges caustic and catchy, turning on a dime at a moment’s whim. For example, I never thought a song could take so many directions in under three minutes and remain as cohesive and memorable as does “I Think Patrick Swayze is Sexy.” The material is decidedly murky and, at times, unfathomable. Cryptic lyrics swing towards the darker side of things but will unexpectedly kiss you on the forehead with clarity and soulfulness. I’m not convinced I ever knew exactly what was being sung about, but that didn’t keep me from feeling like I might. Ignore any fledgling faults; Kane Hodder is worth a listen. [www.hodderrock.com]