Texas is on Fire Shine. Set. Repeat.
Crash Music Inc. CMU61160 October 18th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Woah! Slow down guys! Ill tell you what: I was looking forward to Shine. Set. Repeat., but I jumped the gun. For one, Texas is on Fire unveiled Take Your Sex Elsewhere Girl, Im Trying to Dance EP back in February, inked a deal with Crash Music Inc. in April, and finished recording this record in July, which is scheduled to touch down um, yesterday. Do you notice any problems with that timeline? Well, the concept of the revolving door comes to my mind; in other words, Crash Music were quick to unleash their new signing on the masses by crafting the product as quickly as possible. So, this excellent metalcore band hasnt been given due treatment, and their fans shall suffer because of it.
Dont take the aforementioned statements the wrong way, though; they arent indicative of the quality of Shine. Set. Repeat. Said album flourishes if were judging potential and talent alone, but once the microscopic lens is removed, the whole package is much more visible. While there are ten songs etched onto the disc, they only last about twenty-five minutes. I dont believe that constitutes a full-fledged LP. Texas is on Fire also suffers at the hands of the inept production, which all but eliminates the double-bass from the mix. Its far from being extinct, mind you, but its considerably weaker than it should be. Otherwise, the production values thinly coated with mud do suffice. I like the scratchy vocals juxtaposed with the low-end growls, and I also enjoy the quintets propensity for rhythmical shifts. If youre inclined towards metalcore whatsoever, then Texas is on Fire will treat you right. However, with a sound that nods at countless other core groups, these guys might not make the impression they were hoping for, especially if the album is judged in increments such as music, cover art, liner notes, etc. Speaking of cover art, Shine. Set. Repeat. borrows too liberally from Zaos Zao whether intentional or not I have no idea. The liner notes, in a similar vein, are noticeably tasteless because the lyrics are a jumbled mess, which is accentuated by the fact that theyre conjoined into paragraph form.
This is normally the time where Id try to complete one of the following actions: A. apologize for my harshness, or B. claim that I wasnt harsh in the first place. I choose B. While the music is great and is substantive evidence of oh-so-young talent, everything surrounding the core is much less resistant to criticism. I consider this record to be a minor disappointment, but I know Texas is on Fire will tear through the competition once given adequate preparation. If, however, I see another one of their so-called full-lengths on my desk in six months, though, then Im going to Kill. Fucking. Everyone.
7.5/10
Official Texas is on Fire Website
Official Crash Music Inc. Website
Crash Music Inc. CMU61160 October 18th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Woah! Slow down guys! Ill tell you what: I was looking forward to Shine. Set. Repeat., but I jumped the gun. For one, Texas is on Fire unveiled Take Your Sex Elsewhere Girl, Im Trying to Dance EP back in February, inked a deal with Crash Music Inc. in April, and finished recording this record in July, which is scheduled to touch down um, yesterday. Do you notice any problems with that timeline? Well, the concept of the revolving door comes to my mind; in other words, Crash Music were quick to unleash their new signing on the masses by crafting the product as quickly as possible. So, this excellent metalcore band hasnt been given due treatment, and their fans shall suffer because of it.
Dont take the aforementioned statements the wrong way, though; they arent indicative of the quality of Shine. Set. Repeat. Said album flourishes if were judging potential and talent alone, but once the microscopic lens is removed, the whole package is much more visible. While there are ten songs etched onto the disc, they only last about twenty-five minutes. I dont believe that constitutes a full-fledged LP. Texas is on Fire also suffers at the hands of the inept production, which all but eliminates the double-bass from the mix. Its far from being extinct, mind you, but its considerably weaker than it should be. Otherwise, the production values thinly coated with mud do suffice. I like the scratchy vocals juxtaposed with the low-end growls, and I also enjoy the quintets propensity for rhythmical shifts. If youre inclined towards metalcore whatsoever, then Texas is on Fire will treat you right. However, with a sound that nods at countless other core groups, these guys might not make the impression they were hoping for, especially if the album is judged in increments such as music, cover art, liner notes, etc. Speaking of cover art, Shine. Set. Repeat. borrows too liberally from Zaos Zao whether intentional or not I have no idea. The liner notes, in a similar vein, are noticeably tasteless because the lyrics are a jumbled mess, which is accentuated by the fact that theyre conjoined into paragraph form.
This is normally the time where Id try to complete one of the following actions: A. apologize for my harshness, or B. claim that I wasnt harsh in the first place. I choose B. While the music is great and is substantive evidence of oh-so-young talent, everything surrounding the core is much less resistant to criticism. I consider this record to be a minor disappointment, but I know Texas is on Fire will tear through the competition once given adequate preparation. If, however, I see another one of their so-called full-lengths on my desk in six months, though, then Im going to Kill. Fucking. Everyone.
7.5/10
Official Texas is on Fire Website
Official Crash Music Inc. Website
Thanks for reading and commenting, though! 
