Away Team

 Digital Summer- Counting the Hours

 Victim Entertainment

 Rating:  10 out of 10

 Reviewed by: Jay Rybak

As many of our loyal readers already know garnering a perfect score from this critic is a rare task, but this year I have managed to dole out more perfect scores than Metallica’s “Lulu” has fans. (That’s two if you’re counting.)  The most recent being the latest offering from Arizona based rockers Digital Summer.  Filled to the brim with active rock deliciousness, this 16 track monster is the perfect recipe of Staind-meets-Deftones sprinkled with a dash of Cold that is sure to satisfy your eardrum’s appetite.

Highlights of this aural entree include the single “Just Run”, an up-tempo rocker which has a slight Sevendust feel to it.  Speaking of Sevendust, I would be remiss not to mention the fact that Sevendust skinman Morgan Rose lends his talents on three tracks, including what is hands down my favorite track on the album, “Playing the Saint”, where Morgan’s signature scream adds the perfect finishing touch to an already killer song.  “Shallow” (Closer Than the Angels) follows up with a sound that could’ve easily been mistaken for a long lost Cold song.

Remember when I said I gave out two perfect scores this year?  Well, “The Thrill” could’ve easily fit right in on the first perfect 10, the sound is a perfect compliment to “The Drug” off of Egypt Central’s White Rabbit.  Now let’s take that EC sound and mix in a little Sevendust and you have another favorite, “Not Even God”, if this track isn’t enough to make you run out and buy the album then ‘not even God can save you’!

The monster sound on Counting the Hours would be a shadow of itself if not for the lyrical brilliance of frontman Kyle Winterstein.  The album abounds with metaphorical mastery, complimented by killer musicianship, and is a MUST HAVE!  This album comes Very Highly Recommended!  So what are you waiting for?  Get off your ass and “Just Run” to your local record store to pick it up, or if you’re a lazy piece of shit like me you can head here and learn more about the band while you’re at it.