Send "A Wilhelm Scream " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Absolutepunk |
 If A Wilhelm Scream EP is any indication of the A Wilhelm Scream to come, you might as well just hand the keys to the emerging punk scene to this Massachusetts prodigy group. Tracing closely the sound they reveled in on 2007's Career Suicide, A Wilhelm Scream regroup and reload on what is likely 2009's best EP, returning with more focus than ever before. They're at the head of the pack of aspiring melodic hardcore bands for that reason - they approach vicious aggressiveness with competent songwriting, and are unrivaled in both respects.What makes A Wilhelm Scream EP so great is that it's crass, but smart at the same time. While the middle-fingers-up attitude of "Every Great Story Has A Shower Scene" ("Get fucked!") is almost strictly party material, it contrasts nicely with the picky technicality of "Skid Rock's" blaring riffs. "Australias" flaunts a raspy melody, and "Fun Time" is an interesting half-tempo piece that scrapes its nails on the chalkboard of boredom: "All day long, I sing this song / Then I stop and sing it again / I don't know how it begins / I just know it never ends." By the time "Bulletproof Tiger" rolls around, you're fully prepared for its blend of carefully calculated verses and no-bars-hold anthem of a chorus....full text |
| Sputnikmusic |
| Looking back on the beginning of 2009, it seemed that only moments after the hipsters had their moment behind the wheel of the hype machine when Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion hit shelves, the punk kids got their turn to drive it with a rare Propagandhi sighting. So it seems fitting that closing out the year that brought us Supporting Caste is another high profile, highly technical melodic-hardcore release, this time brought to us by A Wilhelm Scream. The last time anyone had heard from the Massachusetts punk-shredders, it was on 2007's Career Suicide, which was easily the band's most cohesive and technical album to date. One listen to A Wilhelm Scream and it's clear that they haven't lost a beat. A Wilhelm Scream's self-titled EP hits the ground running with "Australias". Slightly more melodic but just as guitar driven as ever, "Australias" sums up everything that is A Wilhelm Scream; the frenetic fretboard wizardry, driving drums, and powerful rasp of vocalist Nuno Pereira all are given their chance to shine (which they all do wondrously). Even though A Wilhelm Scream starts off on a lighter note, tracks like "Bulletproof Tiger" and "Skid Rock" open up a can of whoop-ass that travels through your speakers and punches you square in the face. "Skid Rock" opens with a clinic in bass taping a la "The Horse" before catapulting into an assault of stunning riffs and acrobatic solos that are sure to get that inner air-guitarist peaking his head out. That's not to say that A Wilhelm Scream don't know when to tone it down. On "Fun Time" they slow things down a bit and channel their inner Hot Water Music. They even include a resounding belt of "woah ooohs" in their take on the punk-rock drinking song. The result is a record that ebbs and flows instead of being a constant aural onslaught....full text |
| Reviewrinserepeat. |
| For all intents and purposes, A Wilhelm Scream’s self-titled EP, and debut on Paper+Plastick records, can be considered a compilation of hits and misses. In the years since the band released Mute Print two members have left the band (three if you count the one tour bassist) and the overall song construction has transitioned from a pessimistic tone to one of an enlightened, less dramatic nature. To some extent, the band stopped taking it self so seriously and started being nostalgic for the 80s (“Skid Rock”) in addition to creating pub-oriented drinking numbers (“Fun Time”). Unfortunately, this shift lacks the seismic intensity of the bands former works enough to alienate audiences. But what keeps this audience reeling is A Wilhelm Scream’s uptempo numbers; three songs that demand attention for their meticulous writing and lyrics. Nuno Pereira has a way of building an interpersonal relation with his listeners that is accented in “Bulletproof Tiger”. His means of conveyance in accordance with the integrity of the music allow a transcendence that very few lyricists hold the key to. “I couldn’t ask them to leave; I just invited them in; I can’t believe what I just did,” said with such urgency is classic Wilhelm, but the positive resolution comes in the form of “They won’t break me down or leave me paralyzed,” a new and unexpected lyrical direction for Pereira. This accentuation of bravery would have best been utilized at the end of Ruiner to show an omnipotent view of the situation, but is nearly wasted on a hodge-podge of works. “Every Great Story Has A Shower Scene” is another number made better through romanticism. With another profound musical introduction leading the way the song begins to transition toward a “Jaws 3, People 0” style of chorus with choppy melody and nimble string work, which makes the song easier to digest....full text |
A Wilhelm Scream lyrics
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