The debut album of the American band Burnt By the Sun, tentatively called Soundtrack to the Personal Revolution, was a typical example of an album that could not bear the weight of it's own inherent mass of disjoined impulses and ideas. From a purely technical perspective the music was sound (pun intended), yet the band had not succeeded at adding continuity and genuine emotion to the musical cacophony.

Soundtrack to the Personal Revolution made a somewhat calculated and clinical impression, as if a collection of random riffs and rhythms had been jumbled together, without forming a song you would want to play again. I've had serious difficulties with that album.
Nevertheless a feeling of enthusiasm arose in me when I got wind of the upcoming release of Burnt By the Sun's second album, The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good. Soundtrack to the Personal Revolution definitely had it's problems, but I was not blind to the potential the band displayed. Listening to The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good, it is clear that at least part of that potential has been fulfilled.

For those who haven't heard anything about Burnt By the Sun: if you like modern hardcore/metal-derivatives such as Mastodon, Dillinger Escape Plan and Sulaco you should definitely check these guys out. But chances are you already know them well. A modern mixture of hardcore and metal, with a lot of attention to technique. Relapse does love these bands.

Where on the first album the band got lost in it's self-created maze of extremity and complexity, on The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good they managed to capture these features in recognisable, individual songs. The first thought that appeared to me when listening to the album, was that Burnt By the Sun had actually written decent songs. I admire them for this swift development.

The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good has quite a lot to offer. The basis of the sound still lies within (neo)hardcore, but the metal elements have been assigned a somewhat larger role, which comes down to more blastbeats and heavier riffing. Excellent riffs by the way. Check out the harsh metalcore violence of Washington Tube Steak and the surprisingly simple and melodic 180 Proof. A song that deserves special attention is Forlani, which combines a cool southern rock / stoner riff with aggressive blasbeats. I will have more of this uniqueness please, sirs. Another noticeable track is the robust, grooving Patient 957. This song would have seemed totally out of place on the debut album. Just to illustrate the change this band has gone through. From boring to pretty fucken good.