Cauterize - So Far From Real

Sometimes labels get associated with certain styles and genres. It is only natural really, especially in this day and age where every major record label constructs 50 smaller labels to specialize in every possible sub-genre. Consequently, it is also likely to predict an album based on its label. If you know the label's history then you can usually guess what the genre, sound and feel of a band on a label can be. So let’s look at Wind-Up records. Their flagship is Creed, and so far every album I have received from them pretty much can be summed up in four words: “They sound like Creed.” I an attempt to be unbiased, I focused and put in So Far From Real, and to my surprise they didn’t sound like the aforementioned band. Bonus points for you! But will you score high enough to pass? Um... close, but no. Cauterize sit in that punk/emo world somewhere between Blink-182 and Dashboard Confessional. They sure cry a lot about their girlfriend (or lack there of) but they do it with a punk-pop flair. On the album opener, “Something Beautiful,” they come out firing with a nice melody, a catchy beat and a smidge of energy. From there on in, it is one jumping little diddy after another. It’s a catchy album alright, but, while being different, every song is the same. “I am rocking out and jamming. I lost my girlfriend. Oh how love is ripping me apart, but alas, rock ‘n’ roll with soothe my tattered soul.” Simple, catchy, a guilty pleasure at times, but just not a great rock record. The kids might eat it up like candy on Halloween, but not unlike said holiday, you won’t want to taste this more than a day or so a year. [www.cauterize.com]