One Wing- The Chariot
Review by William Howard
The Chariot is one of the last truly great hardcore bands, where the band comes above the members. With a list a mile long of members who have come in and out of the group through the years, and a discography almost as deep The Chariot is and always will be The Chariot. No matter who’s playing the guitar, or who’s screaming their lungs out on stage the Chariot will always be the Chariot and that is all that will ever matter.
Founded by only remaining original member, Josh Scogin, in 2003 after leaving Norma Jean. The Chariot has always maintained a level of punk rock underestimated notoriety. The bands fifth and most recent full length release “One Wing” comes after the departure of long time bass player, Jon “KC Wolf” Kindler, however the Chariot lives on bigger, more raw, and powerful than ever. One Wing begins like all other Chariot records do: with a bang, a powerful and pure punk rock homage to all that the Chariot represents. One Wing begins with “Forget”. As the guitars assault the listener with both speed and execution accompanied only by the raw and brutal screams of Scogin. When the rest of the band hits only shortly after this slight introduction I am instantaneously propelled into the new era The Chariot, no better, no worse, just new.
Now to most music listeners, the beauty and purity of One Wing is likely to be lost at first listen. One Wing is not a collection of songs but rather a single, pure creative expression. As you listen to each track in order, reading the track names as they go it is easy to uncover the true meaning behind one wing “Forget not your first love. Speak in Tongues and Cheek”. Those are the sentences articulated by each of the track names written in order. The most beautiful and downright incredible track on this record however is “Speak”. A simple track built with only piano and screaming. The simple banged chords and slow chordal movement serves to build a podium on which Scogin spills his heart and soul. As the beginning of the second sentence and therefore the second half of the record, this track is a drastic sonic change not only jarring the listener but also captivating them almost instantaneously.
As a fan of The Chariot, and a punk rock enthusiast myself, The Chariot has always been one of my idols. One of the only remaining pure and incredible hardcore punks bands left and they have always put the band above everything else. One Wing is a beautiful, honest and incredibly pure creation. Listen, understand, and remember, “Forget not your first love. Speak in tongues and cheek”.
Overall Rating: 5/5
Recommended Tracks: “Speak”, “Not”, and “Cheek.”
Website: www.thechariot.com
