Washington-based post-hardcore prog-'em-up "The Fall of Troy" is one of the most uniquely talented groups of the 2000s. Their self-titled debut is a master-class in how to constructively channel raw talent.

What did you do throughout high school? All I did was go to class, go home, play games, and sleep for four years. While it worked out well enough for me, others chose a more active path.

Enter Thomas Erak: 17 ½ years old. Junior year. Learning guitar. A couple friends, "Why not make a band?" Erak closed his eyes, blindly jabbing his finger at a point in his history book. "Thirty Years War." Maybe not; try again. "The Fall of Troy." That's better. Hit record.

Erak contributes vocals and lead guitar alongside Tim Ward on Bass and Andrew Forsman on drums. But they don't sound like a three-piece. Their presence is far  larger.

The Fall of Troy was recorded over a week in the Seattle Hall of Justice. It exudes the kind of raw honesty you would expect out of a group of high school kids trying to develop a new post-hardcore / metalcore / indy slam-punk concept. It's as fast, wild, technically complex as it is metered and atmospheric. Right from the start, these guys understood dynamics: a feat that many more mature groups don't or can't attempt.

The Fall of Troy provides clever and varied composition from all instruments, and that's an uncommon sight in early aughts post-hardcore music. Erak's shrill wails are often followed by softer, melodic intonations. Forsman's drums act as crashing harbingers of destruction one moment and metered rhythms the next. Ward's bass playing often mirrors Erak's speeding riffs with uncommon aptitude, yet he retains his role as the rhythmic backbone of the band. Everything has the sense of being exactly where it needs to be; a true controlled chaos.

The closing track, "What Sound Does A Mastodon Make" is the perfect example of everything that makes this album, and by extension the band so fun and interesting. Frequently shifting tempos and time signatures underlie a technical virtuosity akin to Omar Rodriguez Lopez from his "At the Drive-In" days.

Just like the good ol' Drive-In, there is an uncommon fluidity present in Troy's madness. Choruses appear where you wouldn't expect them, but where you wish you had. Aerosmith-esque micro solos appear exactly where they're needed and never get overbearing.

The Fall of Troy by The Fall of Troy is an absolute joy of an album; a fantastic freshmen effort from these high school seniors. It should serve as an inspiration to anyone wanting to start a band or make music for the first time, as they show exactly how to effectively channel their latent talent. All it takes is heart, will, and a couple of friends to make something great.

4.5/5