Customer Reviews

Progress

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ultraspank is by far one of the more talented bands out there today. And here on their sophomore effort they do what all good bands should do, they mature and evolve into something better while not corrupting their own music.

The music itself features more of that distinct Ultraspank sound which has a kind of metallic edge to it. The drums are fierce and incredibly tight, heavily accented by the bass and programming. The programming, when not accompanying the drums, are utilized in many different fashions, more prevalent on some songs than others, either as a backdrop or as an intro to a song, or just as interludes that adds depth. The guitar seems to be the only weak spot, practically drowned out by the rest of the music though at spots it has it moments displaying the talent and originality that is there. All together just a melting pot of that techno/industrial sound, not really high energy but more of an alternative flow on the heavy side. Extremely good.

The vocals are just plain incredible. Pete Murray has an extremely beautiful voice that he utilizes to the fullest on several songs and can seamlessly switch to his other side, showcasing his dark, edgy, metallic voice which just complements the music so well. The backing vocals are simply that, coming on at the appropriate times and adding depth to the songs. Lyrically, kind of simple, yet not childish at all and on this cd Pete has a more distinct singing style that he indulges in. Not as much experimentation with the vocals as there could have been but still one of the strong points of the band.

The best songs on the cd are "Push", "Smile", "Left", and "Where" which are tempo-laden songs with beautiful melodic choruses that truly display this bands growth. The harder-edged songs like "Crack", "Thanks", and "Crumble" are good and reminds us of where Ultraspank came from. "Stuck" is probably the most experimental song on the cd while "Click" has more of a techno sound. "Jackass" and "Feed" are more melodic displaying different singing styles on them. Overall the production on the cd is much better than the original and this cd is much more complete.

Ultraspank definitely needs some attention. In a day where crossover and rapcore are taking over it's nice to hear a band that remains true to its roots creating music that is different, fresh, original and distinct. They have their own style which they are fleshing out well and as a band they will continue to grow into something even better. Hopefully Ultraspank will get the recognition and credit that they are due. Props to you guys. Other upcoming sophomore releases to check out: Soulfly, Spineshank, Cold, (Hed)pe, and Orgy.

This band sure has grown A LOT since their s/t album. "Progress" is basically a better pieced together, more thought out version of their first album. This cd sure blows that one out of the water. Unlike the original, this one never tires or gets dull, and the songs actually have different sounds for a change. My favorite track is "Crumble" which has an awesome, fast chorus and in between, the singer ACTUALLY sings! It sounds really good, at no metal fan should be without this CD. I HIGHLY reccomend this cd if you like Spineshank, Finger Eleven, Tool or Static-X.

Few bands out there today (in any genre) have had a sophomore album with as much growth and power as Ultraspank's "Progress." Some of the best bands out there have released smashing debut albums only to followed up with a disappointing return effort. Ultraspank, if all indications are correct, has nowhere to go but up.

The opening track "Push" is a beautifully crafted song, delivering us the bass-driven grooves along with Pete Murray's stunning vocal range. Murray goes from melodic crooning to throaty screams in seconds, proving his versatility as a vocalist. And may I add that the addition of Snot alumnus James "Cornfed" Carroll on drums is obvious and very welcome from the first song on. James' laser-perfect timing and creativity give this band a real shot in the arm.

Other favorite tracks of mine are "Feed", "Smile", "Stuck" and Jackass. Ultraspank has proven that they are better musicians then half the drivel you hear on the radio today, and are primed to step up alongside Korn, Tool and others of the new metal sound.

Santa Barbara does it again.

When I search for new music, one of the sure-fire attributes that draws me into a band is a dichotomy or juxtaposition of styles. I like bands that have more than one speed. I like singers who can belt out a blood-curdling scream and sing just as well. I especially like bands that write songs where the structure reflects the human condition. In short, I like music that contains (and therefore evokes) more than one emotion.

I like Ultraspank.

With this their sophomore effort Ultraspank achieved what I consider to be a perfect mix of solid hard rock and electronic/industrial. There are a couple of songs on this album that could work just as well in a trendy dance club as they would (and did) at a metal show.

The key here is Pete Murray's vocal ability. To be quite frank, the guy is unparalleled (check out Lo-Pro to see more of his softer singing side). He can scream low, he can scream high, he can sing, he can harmonize, and he can write a hell of a hook. On top of it all, he has a very unique delivery and an extremely smooth voice. A lot of the time it sounds like he's simply talking over the music. Don't be fooled; what he's doing is very difficult and takes tremendous vocal control. "Click" is an excellent example.

The rest of the band certainly aren't anything to take for granted. Simple but effective drumming, knife-sharp and dynamic guitar work, and solid grooves laid down by the bass all make this release what it is: an excellent musical journey through territory that hadn't really been approached.

The mood of the album is another striking aspect of this release. The songs run the gamut from angry-as-hell ("Crumble") to depressed ("Smile") to energetic and almost happy ("Click") to incendiary and accusatory ("Invite Yourself In") to conservatively hopeful ("Where"). To be clear I'm not talking about lyrical content, but simply the feel that the music has.

There are a lot of reasons that this is not a perfect album. Yes, as much as I hate to admit it, they're basically Nu-Metal (although some people have labeled them industrial, I think that's way off base). No, the music is not nearly as creative as it could have been and not as experimental or heavy as their self-titled debut. Yes, they broke up and, as far as I know, will never get back together. No, not every song on here is special or even good. Really, if I could give more accurate ratings, "Progress" would probably be a 4.7 or so.

Those things aside, this is a cd that touches my natural desire to hear more than just a single emotion expressed in song form without pissing me off by being gimmicky. There's no rapping and the electronic elements are not in the form of scratching or sound samples from movies. Everything is very musical and goes toward improving the song in question. These guys really knew how to write attractive music as well as excellent hard rock. Considering they only got to release two discs before breaking up, I'd say they accomplished a hell of a lot. It's worth picking up if you're looking for a different take on the hard rock/radio rock/Nu-Metal scene. While it's a good thing that the Nu-Metal sound is dying, it's unfortunate that a few of the really enjoyable bands got sucked down with it. Buy "Progress" and show your friends that not every band born of the mid to late '90's sucked ass.

Standout Tracks:
Crumble
Stuck
Feed
Smile
Click
Left
Where

There are very few bands that I have ever heard that have improved this much on their second cd. Ultraspank had one hell of a sound before, definetly one of the most original sounds I had ever heard, but this just makes their debut look like nothing. They have taken all of the elements that made the first cd so great and multiplied it by 10, bringing their sound to a whole new level. I don't even know how to describe Ultraspank's music, because it brings so many different elements into it. It's definetly rooted in metal, but they bring an industrial type sound into it, some hip-hop, alternative, all different things, but where most bands go from the rap part, to the metal part, to the alternative part, and don't just settle into one sound, Ultraspank melds it all into one distinct sound. Pete Murray has improved greatly from the first cd to this one. His voice has reached new heights, the melodic parts sounding just amazing and the heavy screaming parts being just as good as any of the top voices in metal. The rest of the band has made an equal transition, and the addition of Fed, the new drummer, has made things even better than they already were. I highly recommend this to anyone, not just fans of heavy music, or industrial, or anything, because everyone needs to hear Ultraspank, a band we should be thanking our lucky stars we have.

I bought this CD used, at a now defunct record store after listening to the 1st song. I figured WTH, it was only $5.00

Ultraspank and Nothingface changed the way I listen to music. I always had a rule of thumb where I would listen to each CD at least 3 times before passing judgement, and I'm damn glad I did. I have done nothing short of wearing this CD out!! It has been 1 of those "gotta have on the trip" CD's because each song has its own identity to it.

Although the band has broken up, I will continue to burn the candle listening to Progress.. ITS THAT GOOD!

This band does not get recognized at all, even though they are making some of the best music out there today. Progress captures all of the intensity from the self-titled album, but kicks it up a notch with intense melodies. Ultraspank tours with all of the big metal bands out there, yet they go by unnoticed. I think mainstream radio is starting to pick them up (good/bad?), but it won't matter because Ultraspank will remain a highly powerful band that is always underrated for their talents.

Ultraspank have been one of my favorite bands since I first heard of them back in 1998 right before their debut CD came out. After purchasing the debut, I realized exactly how talented this Santa Barbara band was at making crushing riffs layed out over fast breakbeats. Well, after two years past, Ultraspank are at it again, delivering their brand of industrial hardcore with a new disc called Progress. It seems the perfect title for them, because of the great strides they have made on their live shows and their album production, though everything was already great. On this sophomore release, the vocals are more wailing than grunted Phil Anselmo style on the first one. I liked to compare them to the singing parts of Disturbed's David Draiman. The guitar riffs are still crushingly heavy, but not too hard as to not enjoy them. The bass lines are very brutal as well, but have a more jazzy feel to them. The drums are definitely the highlight of this band. They are fastly beating the whole way through, but do slow down occasionaly to accomadate the bass. Some of the highlights of this record are Push, Feed, Click, and Stuck (featuring DJ Chris Kilmore of Incubus). Though more downtuned than the last album, this still packs a punch. Other great bands to check out are Videodrone, Society 1, 20 Dead Flower Children, Drown, and Dope.

The production is better, the techno enhancements are superb, but the raw, mechanical sound that got me into Ultraspank is somewhat lacking here... Overall I would say this is one hell of an album, but not quite as compelling as its predecessor. It has the feel as if Ultraspank are caught in the middle of a transition... searching for their definitive sound. Still some great songs here though... Push, Smile, Click, and Left stand out the most. Give these guys a couple more years to experiment and define themselves and we should see their full potential realized. Accumulate experience...

Unlike most bands today who are one album wonders, Ultraspank's second CD is even better than their first. They just rolled thru Arizona on tour and blew the doors off, converting a lot of fans of other bands to the ways of U-SPANK. Catch these guys live.

This CD will go well in your 5-CD player carousel, along with the Deftones, Korn, Tool, and Pailhead.