Album Reviews
Joint Family: Hotbox
There’s something about good nu-metal. I mean really good, great, from-the-soul nu-metal. Joint Family is THE band these days on the Delhi metal circuit and their new album ‘Hotbox’ is as close to brilliance as you can get in the nu-metal genre. Great production values with expert recording and a variety of song themes — this is all the Indian metal scene needs to push forward from the heights that PDV and Bhayanak Maut have taken us to.
The album opens with the PDV-esque “Drummer’s Advice”. The drumming on this song is, needless to say, killer. The variety on this track sets the tone for some awesome stuff on the rest of the album. The vocals seem ordinary here, but that might just be because of the spoken vocals for most part. Only the lyrics seem a little emo. “Fight Back” begins with Ed Norton asking Lawrence to, and I quote, “Put your fuckin’ mouth on the curb”, in American History X. The lyrics on the song call out for people to stand up and fight back for themselves. It is interspersed with some routine metal riffs, and some dialogue tracks running in the background.
“Change” brings to the album what it says it does, change. A brilliant song about change being the only constant. The vocals showcase lead vocalist Akshay De’s singing ability. Bringing to the fray some Tool-like instrumentals, is “(If Only I Could Sing)”.
The clincher tracks on the album are “Life’s a Bitch” and “Juggernaut”. The intro into “Life’s a Bitch” gives you that feeling you get while slipping off a cliff. Awesome stuff, really. Add to that the stop-starts and the lyrics and Clarence Gonzalves’ bass line, and you have a song to savour. “Juggernaut” was featured on the very metal-heavy ‘Great Indian Rock 2007′ compilation, and with good reason. Heavy as hell, this song will make your grandmother get out of her hospital bed and mosh her way to heaven.
Joint Family are as good as, if not better than, any band they have on the international circuit. If marketed well, we might just have India’s first big international metal act, right here in New Delhi.
dude thats not akshay de singing. thats rohan soloman(read the credits) and akshay de cant sing. if he could he would have.
I got it off their community man. If its incorrect, I apologise.
Nice review.
I’ll agree with deville about that “typo” It is Roahn from Cyanide doing the guest vocals, it’s mentioned in the credits too.
Instrumental doesn’t sound very much like t00l according to me, but I found it pretty awesome anyways.
Great album!
This is my first visit to this site and was quite amazed to see my band up there on the front page. Thanks for reviewing our album.
i just love da song juggernaut
hey fellas! i PICKED UP THIS ALBUM WITH JAN ISSUE OF ‘RSJ’. MUST SAY WORTH LISTEINNG. NOT JUST THAT IT DOES PUT U INA MOOD TO GROOVE WITH. HEADBANGERS FEAST. BUT CUD NT FIGURE OUT ANY SIGNATURE STYLE OF THE BAND. ALLS A MIX UP SIMILAR TO STYLES THAT OF SLIPKNOT (DRUMMERS ADVICE) AND MUDVAYNE. SEEMS THE BAND IS FORCIBLY HEAVY.BUT DEN WOT DA HELL. IT KICKS ASS ANY WAY! SONG MEANINGS WERE NOT NEEDED THAT CUZ WE AINT NO FUCKIN’ NO AIR SINCE WE STARTED OUT LISTENING TO ROCK. SOUND QULITY SUCKS THOUGH. WELL I GUESS OUR VERY OWN BASSIST WILL HAVE TO COME MORE CLEAN WITH HIS BLASTINGS. KUDOS TO OUR DEAR OWN DRUMMER. U ROCK MAN! LOTTA ENERGY. MUS SAY INDI - ROCK HAS COME A LONG WAY. AND IF ANY 1 OF YADISAGRE…. FUCK U MOFUCKAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
U GUYS R GREAT…GUD ROCK…LIKE DA LYRICS…
hey guys ur grt,im die hard fan of ur metals ,vry frst sng drummers advice is awesome
Fckin Awesome
JF fckin rules
U guys have really made our Delhi proud.
Delhi Metal has really shown india that we can do better mosh than Mumbai.
JF rocks - keep on going guys.
Kick Ass! \m/
JF \m/
JF IS india 1st metal act……….cmon……..in vch odr band u gt growlz as gud as lamb of god?????plus shardul’s drumin is awsum……….clarnc is kikass…….no doubt………f de guyz get dr break……..ntn stpin dem…….
wow i really love what they guys are doing.
here This juggernaut is outstanding and I will always lookin for the lirix. if anyone send to me highly I aappritiate.
I must say Joint Family’s recording does match up to international standards. Nice detailing especially in ‘Change’ and ‘Juggernaut’.
great work guys! keep it up! a really good album! loving the song change! \m/
All the songs are pretty good. Simple but effective riffs. The Instrumental is my fav