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Super Happy Story Time Land - Cuddles And Crayons

Sunday, 06 April 2008

Editor's rating

5.8

out of 10

Reviewed by:
Chad Coup
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Sunday, 06 April 2008
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Music Information

Track Listing:
01. Ginger Snaps
02. Ponitty
03. Don't Hassel The Hoff
04. No Hardships
05. Cruise Ship
06. Forgive And Forget
07. Please And Thank You

Artist: Super Happy Story Time Land
Title: Cuddles And Crayons
Genre: Hardcore • Death Metal
Release Date: 12 June 2007
Format: EP
Country: United States of America
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Super Happy Story Time Land - Cuddles And Crayons

CD-R; self-made and distributed.

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Editor review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful


Overall rating (weighted)		5.8
Musicianship		6.0
Composition		5.0
Experimentation		6.0
Production		6.0
Value		6.0

"We are not trying to bring anybody down...its life metal...think happy thoughts. We want to make you kids happy...we rock and rule with The Message of making good choices. Good choices = Good life. Punishing Metal with up-lifting lyrics and a postive message... kinda like Disney land meets Cannibal Corpse......and the Partridge Family at the same time....."

That blurb taken from this WA-based metal band pretty much sums up what to expect. Judging from the silly song titles, ridiculous cover art and homemade CD, SHSTL is still trying to find their way. The band's cuddly image mixed with death metal is pretty played-out and silly, but the band members are competent musicians. However, they do have a ways to go in order to help solidify their creed.

The first track is made up of a lot of children's giggles and a nursery rhyme, and then it is followed by the second track: a brief metal cover of C+C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)." If that sounds like your thing, then go for this. The music of SHSTL is essentially death metal, but it ventures into melodic death more often than not. Most of the songs on this release follow this similar formula.

The five total tracks -barring the two bookends- tend to go on way longer than they are supposed to. For instance, a creative riff or chunky bit will go on for many minutes. The songs wear out their welcome just as I'm getting into it. Ideas are there, but the law of diminishing returns happens as soon as the second track begins. The band plays the instruments well, but from a composition standpoint, I want more.

If paradoxically-themed metal is your thing, then SHSTL may be your band. They do have some time to get better, but this EP is a harmless experiment before the real stuff begins. They're not trying to out-do anyone. They're not pretentious and like what they do, and that's good enough for me. I only wish they tightened up the flow.

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