Midwest Pandemic is the follow up to 2004’s debut by Twelve Tribes, Rebirth of Tragedy. Their heavy, fast paced hardcore style of metal puts them in similar leagues as Machine Head and Killswitch Engage and label mates Misery Signals. The band toured in 2005 with Killswitch Engage which proved very successful in Europe alone. Now with the release of their second album and the building up of their song catalogue, perhaps even a headline European tour may be next on the list as they continue to impress on the frontlines.Album opener National Amnesia is one fast paced song to kick this album off in the right way, which soon is over as not only is it the first, it is the shortest track on the album. This is followed by a track called Muzzle Order, which continues with the pace set down by the opener, although, slows down a bit through it. This track has a very good choral section both musically and vocally.

Next up is another short number entitled Televangelist. Continuing with the pace of things, this is full of extremely good technical guitars and drum pounding. The production of the album seems pretty good, with everything as it should be. Everything is audible which is nice to hear. Pagan Self Portrait is up now, and the first signs of clean vocals on the album are shown in this track. Mixing clean with rough vocals seems to be the trend now with bands such as these. It works for these on this track and others as the album continues. This is one of the must listen tracks on this album also.

The next track, History Versus The Pavement, mixes the fast paced nature of the openers with melodic sections built within the song and it works as it just flows between the two changes in speed. This does show that this band is very capable of mixing it up and are not just one dimensional and rely on the ferocity of their songs to please. Extremely impressive.

The middle of the album continues to be quite solid throughout containing the slowed pace instrumental of Monarch of Dreams, the heavy Librium (which will surely get a mosh pit going on tour in the heaviest sections), and the ferociously brutal Verona (which will definitely get a mosh pit going!). Verona is another excellent song on this album and definitely worth your full attention.

Starting with a bass intro but soon kicking into it with heavy riffing and fast paced guitar work is the track entitled The Nine Year Tide. This slows down right through the middle of the song like a melodic interlude between songs, however when we hear the rough vocals of Adam Jackson, we know its over then and it continues through to the end of the track to complete a worth while listen.

Penultimate track on the album is also the title track of it. Midwest Pandemic is another heavy paced track which is full of heavy riffs, good guitar work and rough vocals. This is one hell of a brutal track which is really really good. I just wonder why it is so far down the album. The album concludes with the longest track on the album which is also separated into three sections each with its own title and is the longest track on the album at nearly 9 minutes. The Recovery is split into Part 1: God Bless You, Good Thief, Part 2: Towers And Vectors and Part 3: Bridge To The Sun. It brings the album to a close and completes a good effort overall and solid album throughout with great guitars, growling vocals, good bass, powerful drum beats.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Adam Fredericks

Released: 2^nd October 2006

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