3rd Strike are an up and coming L.A. based act who were recently signed to Hollywood Records on the strength of this Jim Wirt (Incubus, Hoobustank) produced demo. Blending the aggressive in your face rapcore stance of Downset. with the melodic aspects of Dial-7, the group recklessly combine funk and metal into an energetic mix that is both groove heavy and fast paced, while also able to funnel off into hypnotic choruses and verses.

Band frontman Jim Korthe has quite an impressive voice, sounding like Downset.'s Rey Oropeza and Stuck Mojo's Bonz during his aggravated rap assaults, while also taking on shades of Ozzy Osbourne and Dial-7's Mike Lord during his more melodic moments, making his vocal range fairly wide to say the least. Guitar work is fairly standard, based within the new metal rapcore vein of things with crunchy riffs that are custom fit for rhymes to float over while percussively played bass lines give the songs a touch of bounce underneath. Meanwhile, the percussion is poignantly animated, utilizing a fairly sharp tuning as a cascading wall of constant snare hits ensure a steadily progressing charge that is augmented by a sparse addition of hip-hop based turntable work, complete with scratched lyrical samples from rap of days past.

Sure, rapcore has been done nearly to its death by now, but at times there are still moments when bands who do combine the elements of rap, funk and metal together do manage to shine. 3rd Strike are a band who do have these moments, however fleeting they may be. With the leadoff track "All Lies" showing off a swift edgy pace, it would seem as though they were just another one of your average rapmetal acts, that is of course until the hauntingly melodic choruses kick in and take the song to another level. This trend is also present on the demo's other stand out cut "Champagne Dreams", a song which has a very Dial-7 reminiscent flair as soothingly harmonic choruses clash with crunchy guitars. Sadly though, it is usually only when the group do contrast melody with aggression, that they really capture the listeners attention as the bulk of the material included here can sound a bit standard and lackluster. If they can manage to capitalize upon the aforementioned dynamic elements of their sound, their impending full length debut should be quite a treat to listen to. But if they don't, its fair to say that they will probably strike out.