Cky, aka Camp Kill Yourself, have managed to establish a substantially large underground fan base through their music, hilarious prank phone calls, videos and association with MTV's ever shocking, "Jackass". But whenever outside exposure brings interest to a band, there's always a slight fear of gimmicks and clever marketing ploys. However, it is safe to say that Cky are not another MTV assembled band, as they buck the current trend and opt to create a blend of music that intrigues, utilizing the abrasive rawness of the likes of Clutch, coupled with the detached melodies of Helmet, the song writing wizardry of the Queens Of The Stone Age and perhaps a bit of dark theatrics and dynamics akin to a properly medicated version of Dog Fashion Disco.

Band frontman Deron Miller's soulful vocals pepper the songs with a well seasoned maturity and a gruff edge that at times can bring to mind Page Hamilton of Helmet fame, mixed with the likes of Clutch's Neil Fallon, yet without the heavy southern demeanor. Guitar work is also reminiscent of Clutch; plowing through the tracks with sharp, bottom heavy riffs that embrace a distorted fuzzy crunch. But where the aforementioned band often fall peril into jam band heroics, band guitarists Deron and Chad instead choose to employ sharp, cleverly written riffs and intriguing timing structures to scrape out an inventive, yet wholesome six stringed attack. Bass playing is quite humble, ensuring a solid foundation while also spicing things up with the occasional effect or plodding buildup. Meanwhile, band drummer Jess Margera keeps things marching forward with an array of fairly scaled down beats, keeping a rock solid pace as he exercises a wealth of restraint; an aspect which injects the songs with a sort of musical friction as the more offensive guitar work takes the lead.

Essentially at their heart, Cky seem to draw a heavy influence from the stoner rock scene. However, what sets them apart from their would be peers, is their incorporation of a dark, modern dynamic flair and their ability to birth progressive riffs that are effortlessly hooky as hell, all the while sounding honest. Without question this album is comprised of an eclectic bunch of songs that traverse various paths, but even with their nature being eccentric, they remain digestible and authentic, avoiding the common pretentious traps of most musicians who like to push the boundaries. With the space rock meets disco tinge of the hypnotic, "The Human Drive In Hi Fi", the crisp riff driven stumble of "96 Quite Bitter Beings" and the ethnic flavored aural acid trip of "Lost In A Contraption"; Cky just may have succeeded in taking the ideals and experimental overtones of desert rock, and mixed them with enough contemporary punch to win over fans of genres across the board. Basically they have somehow managed to capture the feel good energy and bare bones aesthetic, mashed it together with the militant push of traditional Helmet tinged post hardcore and a touch of alternative metal, only to come out sounding expansive and modern, layering their songs with melody and looming riffs that convey enough aggressive emotion to satisfy a broad spectrum of listeners. The album unfortunately is not without its faults though. Essentially it is the latest re-release of an album that has landed on shelves in nearly 5-6 different incarnations, with the first originally seeing the light of day in 1999. The bulk of dirty grooves that lace this CD may also have a tough time winning over those accustomed to today's ever popular down tuned new metal sound, plus the songs included here can occasionally lose focus and wander. But all in all, "Volume 1" is still an impressive effort that is worthy of checking out and though it can sound a tad dated at times, it does lead one to believe that the next volume in the series may just be the one that makes Camp Kill Yourself an internationally known vacation spot.