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LYRICS

Strung out - Exile In Oblivion

One of FAT’s earliest signings, STRUNG OUT have always been a constant in the punk rock scene.
Known for delivering records that are musically technical and aggressive, STRUNG OUT still retain a strong hold on the melody and emotion that they masterfully work into each of their songs. Constantly growing and modifying their sound and approach, Exile In Oblivion is truly the band’s heaviest album to date!
The band employed Matt Hyde (SLAYER, SUM 41, HATEBREED) as the producer and engineer. His eclectic resume of work matched perfectly with STRUNG OUT’s unorthodox approach to SoCal style punk rock.
Exile In Oblivion is truly the next logical step in the band’s career, and is sure to please their fans, and capture the interest of people new to the band!

For nearly two years of my life, I would regularly lose sleep over the fact that I had never seen Strung Out live. Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues and Twisted By Design used to battle for my alltime favorite record. I still listen to both of them all the time. Even 2000's The Element Of Sonic Defiance (their first record of the post-Jim Cherry era) had three or four of the best songs they'd ever written. Once the energy of that record wore off though, it's been downhill for this once amazing band. They still kill it live (because they have about 30 great songs in their catalog), but 2002's American Paradox and now this new release show that whatever magic was coming out of Simi Valley in the late 90's has long-since split town.

The frustrating part about Strung Out is that you listen to these new songs and hear some pretty cool, active music. The guys still can play their instruments (more or less), and they certainly are aiming for an agressive new school/metal hybrid, but much like when your parents lecture you, all you hear is "blah blah blah." Jason Cruz's once incredible voice sounds permanently flat (I won't even get to the double tracking because they've done it for three records, and I'm quite sure the band are the only people on earth that think it sounds cool) and lacks any real punch. All of the bands that got into music idolizing Strung Out's early catalog (Thrice being the most obvious) are far more interesting to listen to now.