November 17 - Trust No One

Released
1997

Label
Slipdisc

Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund

Contact

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Last Edit/Update
01 February, 1998

November 17

TRUST NO ONE

Track Listing

1. Grip
2. Kontrol
3. A Different Kind Of War
4. Creation
5. Version 1.2
6. Virus
7. Religion
8. Waste
9. Tragedy
10. Hail

          November 17's debut CD Trust No One on Slipdisc Records is best described as an example of musical warfare. Racing, high-density guitar riffs; artillery fire percussion; coarse, barbed wire vocals delivered in half-choked screams; and morbid media samples underscored by dark atmospheres. These are the relentless elements of this Arizona-based trash-metal-industrial outfit's music. Add to this the angry, angstridden, socio-political hostility of vocalist Trevor Askew's lyrics, and the dynamic, textured sound production of Neil Kernon (David Bowie and Queensryche). Trust No One is a treat for anyone who likes their music loud, fast and aggressive.
          November 17 has a very defined sound and style, and if it was not for their strong reliance on breaks, Trust No One could easily have been a rather monotonous affair. Yet, the consistency of November 17's sound makes it somewhat difficult to single out any of the tracks for specific emphasis. It is very much a CD that will either totally delight, or absolutely appall the listener. The opening track "Grip," however, does present a distilled version of November 17. This song is short, to the point and hits like a ton of bricks. At the other end of the spectrum is "Religion," which is the longest track on the CD, and shows the band from their most versatile side. The song features a number of interludes in which the instruments briefly pause and give way to collages of media samples; after these short breaks the band kicks back in with renewed strength and altered percussion and guitar patterns. "A Different Kind Of War" is probably the most balanced and streamlined song, falling somewhere between the extremes of "Grip" and "Religion."
          Trust No One may be taxing to listen to for those not fanatically partial to the heavier realms of music. Nonetheless it is a smoothly produced and powerful first effort.

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