"The Lonely Zagreb" and "Cyclical" deliver tried and true for the Blamed faithful. "Fictionary" is classic mid-80s hardcore punk tinged with dissonant guitar tones. Others, such as "So Depraved", “Best in Show”, and “1200 Stares” are so chaotic, they teeter on the ridiculous, yet it is so calculated, so organized, so paradoxical, that you have to admire the band for being to pull it off (seemingly) effortlessly. "1200 Stares" is marked by quite a chaotic breakdown: a sax is blaring incoherently, guitar strings are being stretched to the maximum, and someone is screaming like a girl. (I certainly hope that indeed, it is a girl producing those screams, if not someone's nuts are getting ripped from their scrotum). "Prayer of the Dead" is dark post-punk with darker Sabbath riffs played through Wire that empties into a mesmerizing and haunting cello. The band practically goes pop on "Positive", if not for the bizarre changes and odd guitar wankery.

"You Not Me", provides classic sing-a-long action for the disaffected youth of today. This song captures the intensity, the energy, the insanity that marked the brilliant "Germany" EP. The vocal hook ascends in a raised fist "LEFT ALONE! LEFT ALONE! THANKS! FOR! PLAYING! HOST! LEFT ALONE! LEFT ALONE! THANKS! FOR! PLAYING! YOU! I'M! GLAD! I spent three grand to HANG! OUT! in your apartment, while you ran around RUNNING AWAY! FROM YOURSELLLLLFFFFF!" Each exclamation point punctuated by pure pain-drenched emotion.

The only thing wrong with this record is it may have lost something in its tightness, its thickness, its polished edges (no dusty mirrors or splintered wood that made the Germany EP brilliant). Some tracks, such as "Cyclical", are equally amazing and insipid (the Tool like guitar riffing is too normal for the Blamed). Minor threats.