Posted on: December 11, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Mixing rough-house eighties metal with the current popular trend of screamo, New Jersey’s Folly allows their listener to take a wild journey with the band that spans the entirety of “Insanity Later”. A modern day Faith No More, Folly can mix ska-influenced guitar riffs with mid-nineties metal to really draw together a large fan base. Still, the disc has an unfinished veneer to it, and while a track like “Sweet Water Death” might have the hints of pop glossiness to it, the recording has a feel to it as if Trustkill or Victory put it out, instead of the much more solid Triple Crown Records. Tracks like “Discussion is for The Pigs”, Folly’s ska influences turn the track backwards, to something not unlike a Dead Kennedys or Circle Jerk song, fast, furious, and ultimately catchy. No part of the band can ever be called guilty for not pulling their own weight, as aside from the sizzling guitar lines, the bass makes its presence felt quite a few times on “Insanity Later”.

Taking the cheese out of both metal and ska, Folly is able to make an album that is as original as those created in the early days of punk music. Not trying to sound like Dashboard or Cursive, Folly completely forges their own sound and does so convincingly. The only thing an individual can fault Folly on is the fact that they follow their own sound to an absurd amount, and could use more in the way of different approaches to each song. When the band find itself in perfect harmony between the conflicting forces of ska and metal, such as in “The Last Letter We Ever Wrote”, Folly can find themselves around such genre-meshers as The Clash or Primus. Even when the band treads into grounds that are fairly well trodden by currently popular acts, they still add some spice by playing with an uncommon level of talent.

Folly is a bright spot in music at a time where conformity is rewarded. If Folly can move a little further towards complete experimentation, they will be one of the most memorable bands of the era. Triple Crown shows its intelligence in signing yet another band that is at the cutting-edge of their respective style of music, and Folly has put out a solid album in “Insanity Later”. More musical than Leftover Crack, harder than the Bosstones, Folly is truly in a league of their own.

Top Tracks: Discussion is for the Pigs, The Last Letter We Ever Wrote

Rating: 7.2/10

Folly – Insanity Later / 2004 Triple Crown Records / 12 Tracks / http://www.follynj.com / http://www.triplecrownrecords.com / Reviewed 03 June 2004

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