Suicide Invoice

Hot Snakes: Rick Froeberg (vocals, guitar); John Reis (guitar, background vocals); Gar Wood (keyboards, bass, background vocals); J. Sinclair (drums).
Suicide Invoice is the second full-length for this band, whose star members bring components of their former/current projects into the sometimes cartoon, always intense world of Hot Snakes. There's the theatrics of Rocket From the Crypt's John Reis and experimental hardcore elements of Rick Froberg's Drive Like Jehu with a weird, darker tone than Automatic Midnight, their first effort. Recorded in a garage, the album is another study in rock in jokes with such titles as "Gar Forgot His Insulin" and "Bye Nancy Boy," which feature pummeling drums and a hot, metallic bass offered by Gar Wood. Froberg's vocals go from raged to sincere, and on "Why Does It Hurt" he almost sheds the rock persona to identify with his listeners -- almost. He gets it back in "I Hate the Kids," where spitfire lyrics stretch over the band's brutal assault. With this album, Hot Snakes only build their repertoire of rock to satisfy the indie kids looking for something as angry as nu-metal with a tinge more self-awareness. ~ Daphne Carr