Next to endless corn fields and the freak show known as Slipknot, Iowa is also home to metalcore outfit Too Pure To Die. And where most bands only have one shot at releasing a debut album, Too Pure To Die does it twice. First on their own and now again on Trustkill. The only difference is that for the new version they re-recorded the vocals with new singer Paul Zurlo. These guys play metalcore that taps from the same vein as Throwdown. so picture groovy songs with plenty of nods to Pantera and the occasional breakdown. It's hardly original and after a while the songs start to blend together. Thing is these guys play with enough conviction to pull it off nonetheless. You won't find this album in any end of the year lists come December but give these guys another year on the road, let them return to the studio and I'm reasonably sure the result will show more of a face all their own.

PANTERA-CORE: Hailing from Iowa, land of Slipknot, the latest signings to Trustkill Records are clearly more intent on getting in touch with their inner Anselmo than donning masks and throwing up in them, as Confidence and Consequence drips with the influence of Texas' reigning metal demigods. The title track opens things up and lets you know exactly where you stand, knocking you over the head with swaggering, balls out metal while vocalist Paul Zurlo sounds like he's vomiting up every syllable. This may in fact be the single chuggiest album of all time, every song overloaded with palm muted guitar and pneumatic kick drums, so much so they give the likes of Bury Your Dead a run for their money in kicking up what almost equates to and album length breakdown. The squalling leads of "Blame No One" preface their most compelling slugfest, while "It Won't Hurt" captures Too Pure To Die at their most wide screen, still housing plenty of the bruise inducing fury that reigns throughout. Producers Andreas Magnusson (Scarlet) and Matt Sepanic ensure that every beat leaves a dent in the side of your skull. So, if you're the kind of person who just isn't happy unless you're upside down and getting pounded to shit in the mosh pit from hell, this could well be the soundtrack you're waiting for.

With a sound similar to label mates Throwdown, Too Pure to Die have a crunchy metallic take on the hardcore genre. Burly rhythmic riffs are the norm here and this album is armed with enough breakdowns to shake the plaster free from your ceiling. Its a slightly by the books approach but the energy and songwriting makes the album more than worth your time. When I say this sounds like Throwdown, I'm not kidding as the album has a similar feel to the Vendetta album in particular. I'd say this has a bit more melody than Throwdown though and overall this isnt quite as fast. If you enjoy your metallic hardcore crunchy this is an album youll want to check out. I could also see fans of Bury Your Dead being able to enjoy this as well. What helps this band stand out from similar bands is the quality of the full blown metal riffs. There are some excellent melodic riffs and a few riffs add a technical edge with hammer on and pull off use. The breakdowns are slightly common sounding yet the rhythmic riffs are incredibly solid hitting with a ton of power. Sure its not as overly original sound, but it is a damn powerful one. If you are a fan of the metallic side of hardcore, Too Pure to Die have crafted an album sure to inspire living room moshing. The rhythmic assault hardly lets up and is reinforced by a powerful yet clear vocal roar. If you like your hardcore intense and with crunch, this one is for you.

Iowan Boys Bring The Pantera- Worshipping Noise If you like your metalcore loaded with thick, Southern grooves then your gonna like Too Pure To Die. Hailing from Slipknot’s stomping ground, the five piece have clearly studied their Pantera records closely and inject the kind of swaggering attitude the Texan boys excelled at into their chunky slugfests, creating a record perfect to lose you proverbial shit to in the pit. Vocalist Paul Zurlo eschews melodic crooning in favour of a battery of aggravated growls and roars that reinforce the intensity of the music backing him up, and there’s a real energy throughout that carries the whole album.

Alright hands up everyone who wished Atreyu wouldn't have strayed away from the aggressive metalcore roots of their debut and sophomore albums? I'm among the majority of their ex-fans who disliked "A Deathgrip On Yesterday", and absolutely hated "Lead Sails Paper Anchor". Every time I hear either record, I end up reminiscing about how great the band could've been. If your thought patterns are anywhere along the same lines as mine, look no further than Too Pure To Die and their debut album "Confidence And Consequence". In simple terms, it is the album Atreyu should have written instead of Deathgrip. It has full blast, in your face deep throat screaming, slick and busy guitar lines all over the place, thick hammered drums, and all the stuff you'd expect from a metalcore release minus the clean vocals. Vocalist Paul Zurlo doesn't hold back and delivers a convincing growl/scream combination at all times throughout the album. To avoid being pigeonholed in the "generic metalcore" category, the band isn't all about melodic scales and brutal vocals. It's easy to hear a distinct modern hardcore influence a la Hatebreed in their music, starting from the thick breakdowns to the tough-guy vibe the album emits instrumentally. This works to the band's advantage as the songs become stronger, more brutal and, yes, more kick ass. Songs like "99" or "It Won't Hurt" will be bliss in a live environment, and should be enough to get even the most stubborn concert goer to engage in a lethal mosh pit or two. Although "Confidence And Consequence" isn't particularly original, it is good at what it does. It reminds us that not all metalcore needs to be about scales and clean vocal choruses, and that sometimes pure, unadultered aggression is necessary on other releases than death metal too. If early Atreyu lies within the range of your musical preferences, then Too Pure To Die caters to all your needs.

As the old saying goes, "keep it simple, stupid". In a world where everyone and their brother is starting a hardcore band and thinking way too hard about it, Des Moines, Iowa's TOO PURE TO DIE stick to the basics of heavy riffs, thick grooves, and in-your-face vocals. More accurately, "Confidence and Consequence" rides the line between metal and hardcore (basically metallic hardcore) and even incorporate breakdowns in the right parts without it becoming annoying. It is not as though the music heard here is anything new; TOO PURE TO DIE just kick hard, punish, and get out across 10 tracks with an easily digested running time of 29 minutes. Paul Zurlo borrows from the Anselmo school of whiskey soaked (metaphorically speaking), pissed off vocals, which is but one of the characteristics of "Confidence and Consequence" that reminds of bands like THROWDOWN (think "Vendetta"). The act goes for a fundamentally hardcore delivery with a range of riffs that work pretty damn well, and it has nothing to do with technicality and everything to do with pit-worthy slams. Songs like "99" and the title track will have even the most jaded fan catching himself head-banging along to the guitar lines and beats. You will not find irksome crooning or tunes jammed with Swedish harmonies either, only concrete tough skull crackers. Album closer "What's Left" is the only one of the bunch that injects a bit more melody, and even then it's a marginal amount, compared to the rest of the disc. So OK, there isn't a damn thing inventive about "Confidence and Consequence" and it is not as though TOO PURE TO DIE are the new saviors of metallic hardcore (not even close). The album is simply one that keeps it basic and bruising to mostly satisfying effect. If you're one that spends all his/her time with bands like THROWDOWN and BURY YOUR DEAD, then you probably won't find a great deal about "Confidence and Consequence" to rave about, as it certainly does not add anything to the genre. TOO PURE TO DIE just takes what they know and go for it. Given the right mood, the group's formula can be quite enjoyable.

From the corny fields of Iowa comes a new force in hardcore music. Too Pure To Die has made a brutal entrance onto the scene with their debut album "Confidence and Consequence." The entire album pulses with pure unfiltered anger, raspy vocals, squealing guitar riffs, and a relentless pounding beat that keeps it both edgy and catchy. The band's raw talent and rabid hunger for touring will bring a smile to the face of any fan of hard rock.

"I don't need to defend what I am" is the best line from the title track from Too Pure To Die's latest full-length Confidence & Consequence. I cannot deny that this straight edge band from Des Moines, IA, is really tough. They take bro and pride to the hilt with this album, but I wish they would just push through. Though I am in love with the bands sound in every way, I cannot say much about this album. It is a typical specimen in the world of hardcore with heavy breakdowns, pinch picking and typical drum patterns. I don't think the band went out of their way to make Confidence and Consequence something special or really push it to stand out in the pack of hardcore albums and Eps in recent memory. It is obvious that Too Pure To Die's only mission with this album is to stay true to their sound and their craft and to make really powerful calls to war in which kids will be thrilled to dance. The Confidence album translates much better live. I had the pleasure of catching one of their few dates in Jersey and tracks like "Blame No One," by far the fastest song on the album that gets your heart rate up from the initial kick between the ears, does more for the morale of the crowd than it does for musical content. That being said however, "It won't hurt" surprised the hell out of me; I heard the drum patterns and riffs on the guitar that were so sharp and distinct that it is safe to say it has never been done that well in hardcore (dare I say never done at all?) Confidence and Consequence is for any kid with heart, pride and morals - straight edge or not.

The re-recording of Too Pure To Die's 2006 release features a performance by new screamer Paul Zurlo that shows he's desperate to prove himself in all the best ways. The band demonstrates a love of Pantera and Sick Of It All with groove-filled riffs and powerful drum battery, and while the results are enjoyable, they're fairly predictable. Still, this is better than most metallic hard-core, and songs like the determined "Blame No One," with its violent verses and catchy choruses, prove these Des Moines pugilists are legitimate contenders.