Juice definitely hold a reputable claim to fame, the band features members of Korn singer Jonathan Davis and Ryan Shuck of Orgy's old group SexArt. Thankfully the band doesn't ride on this fact and instead brings together a incendiary strand of aggrocore that at most times gently weaves its way into your senses with a lush passionate verse that boils over into a violently exploding chorus with gouging screams that showcase an authentically desperate sounding anguish. The band is at times comparable to older Korn, but instead of riding through songs on an incomprehensible percussive lyrical pattern, the band focuses on a driving rhythm and a euphonic yet shredding vocal that easily paves its way over the distortion and aggression the band creates instrumentally. Vocalist Brian Armer gracefully comes across with soul wrenching choruses that impact violently and then smooth off into emotional heart straining verses, with such control of the scope of the two most powerful emotions, he truly is gifted. Another noteworthy thing about the CD vocally is that the use of overdubs and even a hint of effects such as delay are used and thicken the sound and create a concentrated vocal attack. Guitar wise the interlocking work of guitarists Tim Fluckey and Ray Solis is reminiscent of the patented sound of Korn, not in a sense of the heavy usage of squeals and effects although there is a moderate amount at play, but instead in the way the two musicians fit together playing, at almost any given moment it's hard to discern just who is playing what, they shed the ideas of lead and rhythm guitarists and create one large blanket of sound. Distortion with a bit of downtuning and clean tones are used well and really show off a refined approach. Bass is tuned down to a somewhat rumbling rubbery tone, but is used very impressively constantly filling in the gaps and plunging the verses forward, in fact during most songs the bass plays as an integral a role as the guitars which is a treat in this usually guitar driven genre. Drums strengthen the mixture, beating along with a somewhat offbeat style that really lets the other instruments intertwine over a steady backbeat. Highlighted songs would definitely have to be "Green" and "You", "Green" brings the raw combustion of a band that plays well to the forefront, dripping with pure aggression and anger it clearly shows the power of Juice's darker side, the band slowly cuts its way through a viscid syrup like verse which spirals into a piercing chorus of raging adrenaline. "You" on the other hand is a more melodic number showcasing the bands slower more tamer side, the band takes it slow and trickles down into a gentle stream of emotion utilizing effects to heighten the experience and then just when things feel calm and relaxed a grinding riff kicks in that would be equivalent to falling off of a waterfall. The band is very tight and have their craft down well, It's hard to think of downsides, but possibly a tightening of the songs could help the band a bit, although structure is strong it feels rather loose and sometimes can lose the flow, albeit for a moment. Another thing that could be done is the band could venture out a bit further from the constraints of the basic aggrocore approach and incorporate some more influences, but the band accomplishes what they set out to do so well that it could possibly have a more negative effect than a positive. Still more variation can never hurt a release. In any case, Juice are without question one of the shining jewels in the crown that is the indie scene, a band this good can't go unsigned for too long for the simple fact that they are that damn good, aggression, emotion and melody seamlessly combine into explosive fireball of sonic fury that encapsulates that which is the infamous Bakersfield sound. Although some elements of the bands style may have become "cliche" to some of the indie scenes more fickle listeners, it would be disgustingly unfair to discriminate this band on that basis. If you want a truly skilled auditory documentation of what the often attempted and often failed California aggrocore style and sound has to offer then do yourself a favor and get Juice, because this is how it was meant to be played.
(4.5 / 5)