Bear vs. Shark is a hardcore outfit hailing from the Detroit rock and roll scene – the very same scene that produced modern-day rock staples that include The White Stripes and The Von Bondies. With their latest release, Terrorhawk, Bear vs. Shark is attempting to be next big thing to explode from the Detroit area.

Admittedly, Bear vs. Shark embodies a very different kind of rock and roll. While the aforementioned White Stripes and Von Bondies deliver consistent, fast-paced riffs and high-energy sound, Bear vs. Shark likes to mix things up. There’s something to be said for consistency at times, and this is definitely one of them – Terrorhawk often times feels like you’re riding the Blue Streak at Cedar Point – you’re up, you’re down, you’re up again, and the ride’s over relatively quickly.

Issues with tempo aside, Terrorhawk manages to deliver some fantastic tracks. Upon hearing tracks such as “Antwan,” hardcore scream-o fans will be quick to draw parallels between Bear vs. Shark and bands such as The Bouncing Souls. When Bear vs. Shark turns it down a notch on “Baraga Embankment,” it brings eerie feelings of a criss-cross between Thursday and Ben Folds.

Terrorhawk is an incredibly frustrating record. The herky-jerk audio whiplash Terrorhawk sends you on is mostly due to terrible track sequencing. Fans of Thrice, Thursday, and early Taking Back Sunday will probably be right at home with this album, but the clumsy sequencing truly hinders it. Fans of the genre waiting around for Warped Tour to start would do well to pick this Terrorhawk up – just make sure you put your CD player on random when you’re listening to it.

Contact general assignment reporter Ben Breier at [email protected].