Coral Fang

By Nick Flanagan, WireTap. Posted November 24, 2003.

Lead singer Brody Dalle

In the world of pop music and Pepsi commercials, punk rock music may seem dead. If Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols knew about bands such as Good Charlotte, he would be spinning in his grave! But punk is not quite dead, it merely lies dormant in the minds and hearts of future artists who were inspired by it. One of those bands is the Distillers. Their most recent album, "Coral Fang," has drawn a fair amount of attention from hardcore fans and those foreign to the band alike. Their new music video, "Drain the Blood," has been shown on channels such as MTV and MTV2. But fame can turn its ugly head and some hardcore fans say that the band has become a sell-out.

"Coral Fang" is just about as punk as you can get. With songs such as "Dismantle Me" and "Drain the Blood," how can it be anything but punk? This album has a self-pity and self-loathing kind of feel to it. Although seemingly personal, you can relate to the lyrical content and the overall message. Sure, the previous albums are much harder and faster, but different isn't always bad. This album happens to be progressive, evolving into a unique form of punk that borders on grunge. Inspired and influenced by the band Hole, lead singer Brody Dalle sounds eerily similar to Courtney Love. This album definitely finds the middle ground of punk rock. It's no Sex Pistols, but it's definitely not sugar-coated or watered-down like most of the music videos you see on MTV.

The Distillers formed in 1998, when Brody Dalle (formerly Brody Armstrong because she was married to Tim Armstrong of Rancid), met bassist Kim Chi. They eventually met with guitarist Rose Casper and drummer Matt Young, signed with Epitaph Records, and recorded their self-titled debut album in 2000. During the recording of their second album, "Sing Sing Death House," there were disputes and everyone left the band. Brody eventually put together a new lineup composed of Ryan Sinn (bass), Andy Outbreak (drums), and Tony Bradley (guitar).

This album is a gem and worth the price (whatever price it may be). Even with the new band members, Brody's voice is still as gut-wrenching as ever.

Nick Flanagan is a staff writer at WireTap.

              

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