Cauterize

Cauterize are a local emo/pop-punk band that used to be called T.O.E., (which stood for Take Off Eh!) but changed their name when they were signed by major label Wind-Up Records. What is it with bands from my area being signed by major labels? Do people really care that much about this cesspool? Maybe it's because we're the epitome of suburbia, they figure it'll be good marketing to suburban kids all over the world. Anyway, T.O.E. was very pop-punk, but Cauterize have gone in a more emo direction.

So Far From Real (2003) 7 Thumbs Up

Poor Cauterize is having serious trouble with promotion, since Wind-Up/Sony have absolutely no idea what to do with them. For example, they have released only "Something Beautiful" as a single in Canada, but only "Choke" as a single in the US. Why they chose this weird marketing technique, I don't know. That's a shame, because while this album was too close to straightforward pop-punk for me to give it an 8, it's far better than half the crap radio and MTV play these days. Cauterize fill their music with catchy hooks and lyrics about failed relationships and hopeless love, but unlike most bands that play music this way, they genuinely sound like they have potential and could improve with time.

Opening three tracks "Something Beautiful," "If You Go," and "My Everything" are all fast, catchy pop-punk blasts with slightly sappy emo lyrics. It made me enjoy sappy pop-punk all over again. Unfortunately, once you get to the fourth track, it all starts to sound the same. Part of this is the production value, with makes the music sound really fake rather than giving it a cool "recorded live" feel. Lead singer Jesse Smith does have a bit of a generic emo vocalist quality to his voice, but I think perhaps if production were toned down, he wouldn't sound so bad. Overall, despite the heavy production caked on by a major label, this really isn't too bad. I think Cauterize has the potential to become a really good band.

Back to Reviews Back Home