Full Scale - Full Scale

Genre rock Publisher Columbia Records External Links Official Website Columbia Records

Ox, Kaay, Tee are the last names of three of the four members of Full Scale. The fourth's one word moniker is the handsome Crutey. Zeke, Rob, Jimmy (respective to the last names), and Crutey play a style of political fueled pop-metal/hardcore that has been embraced in this country by Columbia Records. The native country is the one down under, Australia. Their first domestic release is "a self-titled affair with angst, political themed poetic lyrics, and a wide range of emotions," says the website. I immediately thought of Rap Rock producer Ross Robinson, but to no avail. So I tossed in the CD and was blown away.

The album starts with "Empty Texas," a powerful song about how if the narrator had a gun, someone would get some. The narrator also appears to be completely insane, as his sense of time has collapsed, often the first sign of severe mental problems: "My mind's changing the weather, is it December or November, I'm holding onto something I thought was real..."

The second track is well, terrible. Known as "Feel It," the verses are rapped as fast as possible. The choruses are sung with some type of emotion, which one I've no idea. Moving on to "Smiles," the track opens with, "Roll Up! Roll Up! The circus is in town...." The far-reaching implications of this statement boggles the mind.

A few more titles into the CD I found the radio worthy song of the effort. "Party Political" is a simple message in song form. Kick out the liars and the political system will...ahh...well just kick out the liars.

While more commercially acceptable and seemingly more intelligent rockers Rage Against the Machine used politics as a fuel for insight, Full Scale try and fall desperately short. While Rage offered alternative messages (Tom Morello sporting a Socialism baseball hat and a degree in Political Science from Harvard) Full Scale is riding on the fact that they are foreigners. During a press interview, one member brought up the idea that globalization is affecting all nations and the ringleader is a country in peril, the USA. That's fine and good that Full Scale have some knowledge, however trying to be a political band whose mission is to unite the proletariat is not that great an idea. I guess that "Party Political" ringtone you can get from the website is to help with Full Scale's ongoing struggle for something political.