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Disengaged - Return To The Pit Review - (The Reverend)
Starting in 2000, Disengaged mixed punk and metal into a fun fusion with catchy lyrics. When did you hear about them? Definitely not back then. Their lead guitarist shreds (and head-bangs his hat off at the beginning of each song). He can cut through metal riffages that call down Satriani from the heavens. Funniest is them splitting into a cover of the 90210 theme song. I guess they had some shitty demo back then that was most likely recorded on a boom-box in their practice space. Anyhow, fast forward 2 years, where no one knows what they were doing, to 2003. In Spring of 2003, they released an actual CD, The Ocean, on Not Common Records. The CD is way more complex then just punk-metal. There are samples, interludes, and other parts that add a weird depth to the CD that you can't quite put a handle on. I think it all boils down to the anti-sanity of the location that the band members live in. Even a bunch of the hate-filled lyrics are done totally tongue-in-cheek, saying "fuck you" but still smiling all the while. Also, you can hear every lyric cleanly so that you can tell when someone decides to play-it-up for the locals and changed a lyric to include the ton they are in. Of course the first time I got to see them, their singer was dying in the hospital or some lame excuse like that, so three people had to cover the vocal duties to fill the shoes of one Beakey.
RETURN TO THE PIT
The Ocean LP - The Apple Core Review - (Kevin)
Now don't get me wrong, I thought the self titled release from Disengaged was good but their sophmore effort The Ocean blows it out of the water. This four man punk/hardcore hybrid catches your attention from the opening scream of "Open Wound". Songs like "Can't Stop Bleeding" and "The Ocean" show that the band is no longer regulated to short songs. These songs show the versatility of the band and the frightening insight to Dino's mind. But don't worry, their short song roots are still present on quickies like "Jimmy Flynn" and "Finger on the Button". True hate, anger and frustration translate into 48 minutes that prove why Disengaged should be noticed and why you would want to stay on their good side (see "Die Tonight").
THE APPLE CORE
The Ocean LP - Noise Magazine Review - (Tony G)
Initially I was attracted to the song names, particularly "Two Shots and a Pack of Newports" and "Decomposing Pile of Ex-Girlfriends." I tried to like it, but this is terrible. With more expletives in two songs than in two hours of Scarface, The Ocean is polluted with vile tales of bile, carcasses, whores and gore. Frenetic drums and guitar chase each other like drunken dragonflies on "Open Wound." Nothing wrong with that, but this first track also sets a pejorative precedence for mindless indecipherable screaming. It's a relentless aural assault. Dino Bland's surname is a misnomer. Bland's voice is anything but. Sorry Dino, but it's an absolutely unpalatable insult to the auditory system, and to the olfactory system as well - it stinks! Dino screeches like a cat shouting obscenities on "Can't Stop Bleeding." At seven plus minutes, "The Ocean" begins with seagull sounds before succumbing to the same pointless inaudible screams prevalent throughout the disc. Dino must go through a lot of lozenges. Probably the best track, "Die Tonight" features impressive solos by Moranzo Lamas. Still, while listening to this CD, I only smiled for the minute and six seconds labeled "Jimmy Flynn" as it seemed a humorously disparaging view of a groupie.
THE NOISE - ROCK AROUND BOSTON
Middle East 06/16/2003 - Noise Magazine Review - (Joe Hacking)
Disengaged know what they have to do after Bane of Existence's ridiculously sick set. They unleash all they have upon the audience. Of all the bands this night, the guitars are the main element in Disengaged. The drummer is working with them, providing a solid but ever-changing foundation upon which the strings can do their thing. This is a band showing great promise for the future. They have what it takes. The lead vocalist is a relentless force, with a power of lung and vocal cord that is impressive even after the amazing lineup of bands which came before him. Things get really cacophonic up there in a very organized way, and the audience is right there behind them, pleased with their ability to follow up Bane's awe-inspiring performance. Best metal night yet!
THE NOISE - ROCK AROUND BOSTON
The Ocean LP - Massachusetts Metal Shows Review - (Jim Ash)
This CD is a chaotic assault on you ears. It attacks
your aurial senses and beats you down
just like they do live! Like the last time I reviewed
them on their demo CD, Slayer's "Undisputed
Attitude" comes to mind, but also early Iron Maiden. From the first album, with the raw aggression
and power that spewed forth from the speakers,
Disengaged conveys that same feeling and power as
Maiden did in it's early years. The CD is much better produced than their demo, and they have added some pretty nifty samples throughout the CD as well. The songs, although chaotic, are also catchy and memorable. Standout tracks for me were "Open Wound", "Jimmy Flynn", "Die Tonight", and "Two Shots and a Pack of Newports".
MASSACHUSETTS METAL SHOWS
The Ocean LP - Soundcheck Magazine Review - (Metal Wench)
Talk about hardcore, holy shit! The first track, “Open Wound”, starts off with Dino Bland’s vocals screaming in your face for a very intense two minutes. And the backing vocals, combined with the heavy hitting music, brings Disengaged up front with attitude. Track #2, “Murder The World”, has a lot of effects in the beginning that sound like a street war raging; it’s a little bit scary. Some of the lyrics are pretty funny; but they’re not a joke band. Hardcore kids will really dig these guys. The artwork for the CD is of course the ocean and is very subdued, nothing like the music; and you have the lyrics of all the tunes for your enjoyment. A very nice package, I must say. Okay, track #5, the title track, “The Ocean”, sounds like you’re right on the ocean, but the music is building in the background and turns into a murderous nightmare of hell. Very cool. The end of the song brings you right into that part of the nightmare where you don’t want to look, but have to. It’s the moment where you know the killer is going to get you but you can’t move no matter how hard you try, so you just cry. Disengaged definitely has a murder fetish going on here. Track #7, "Tip-Toe Through the Landmines", has to be my favorite. It’s comedic with a hardcore twist. Track #10, “Decomposing Pile Of Ex-Girlfriends”, in my opinion is the love story of “The Ocean”. And well done. But don’t turn off the CD player yet. Be patient and you will have a bonus of trippy delight.
SOUNDCHECK MAGAZINE
