Comeback Kid - Outsider album review

Despite weathering a number of line-up changes – most recently longterm drummer Kyle Profeta, who left to open a food truck in South Africa – the quality of Comeback Kid’s output has never faltered. The Canadians are one of the most respected bands in the hardcore game, sitting pretty on an incendiary repuation they’ve built through insane, sweat-dripping live shows and a stellar run of material. Comeback Kid have made a habit of getting better with age, so it’ll come as no surprise to anyone that Outsider clears the high bar the band have set for themselves with ease. On their sixth album, their first as Nuclear Blast signees, the Winnipeg five-piece have managed to balance unshakeable dependability with a few unexpected moments. Former guitarist Andrew Neufeld now sounds completely at home fronting the band, wringing every last glass-gargled drop of abrasive emotion from his voice. Blindspot revels in old-school punk attitude and Somewhere, Somehow, with its thrashyguitarwork, showcases the NYHC influences that the band put upfront on previous tracks G.M. Vincent And I and Wasted Arrows. Anyone who’s survived the pit at a Comeback Kid show will know exactly how the rampant riffery, huge choruses and gang chants of ragers like SOFTWAREmark” gingersoftwareuiphraseguid=“bacb3fe2-77de-457c-99d6-41c59743eee6” id=“33e5740c-0222-486b-95a4-cf536bff5c71”>Livid I’m Prime and Surrender Control are going to go down, but elsewhere, there’s curveballs in the form of some eyebrow-raising, all-Canadian collaborations. Moment In Time features the gravel-soaked vocals of Americana troubadour Northcote while an appearance from Devin Townsend further sharpens the metallic edge of stormerAbsolute. Comeback Kid are still brilliant. Is anyone surprised?