Tetanus’ Last.fm page describes the band’s musicianship as a “triathlon” which I think fits quite well. On their album Such A Loser, Tetanus displays traits of grunge rock, hints of groove metal, modern rock and a lot of throwback rock qualities. They are essentially a jam band that can make albums.

Opening up the album is “Swept Away”—a funky down-tuned track with big guitars and a groove that begs to be played loud. To solidify the mix, the song offers up some old style rock n’ roll qualities and a hook that will get stuck in your head for days. This is easily my favorite song on the entire album. As a fair warning, most of the hardcore metalheads will probably shy away from the majority of this album. For those of you that want some more of the modern rock characteristics found on “Swept Away”, checkout “A Reckoning” and “Blame On You”.

When it comes to grunge, these guys bring it back in style. I was never huge into the grunge era but Tetanus seems to add a fresh twist on the genre. The album’s title track, “Such A Loser” delivers a hearty dose of the grunge that you might’ve missed from back in the day. Although it’s not nearly as bouncy and slamming as “Swept Away” it offers up a quality that I think will appeal to a large audience and would fit perfectly in a radio lineup. This song took a few listens for me but I eventually found it to be reminiscent of something my friends and I would listen to while on our way to go surfing (pre-metalhead days). If you’re a fan of bands like Wheatus, Weezer and Buckcherry, Tetanus will probably appeal to you.

One of the things I appreciate about Tetanus is that their music has a positive sound and is something that you can listen to while driving or with friends over. With tracks like “This Time” and “Leaving For California” Tetanus gives us some more of that eclectic sound that proves to be infectious and will be the driving force in the mainstream spotlight.

To close the album out, Tetanus gives us “Wouldn’t You”—it’s acoustic and a far cry from the way the album opened up. I appreciated the throwback rock characteristics and the laid back delivery, as well as the simple piano work and the overall arrangement. Despite the fact that I prefer the more modern tracks on the album, songs like this provide insight into what the band can do—regardless of whether you get into the song or not. Let it also be known that lead singer Scott Hardin is by no means a newcomer to the scene. Scott apprenticed under legendary rock producers Skidd Mills (Saving Abel, Skillet, Sister Hazel) and Paul Ebersold (Saliva, 3 Doors Down, Green River Ordinance).

All in all I was really pleased with Such A Loser and I’ve since become addicted to “Swept Away”. There were also some nostalgic qualities for me personally and the only time I skipped tracks was when I wanted to listen to my favorites (“Swept Away” and “A Reckoning”). I was actually surprised to see this album come up in the mix since it’s a stretch from a lot of the music we review here on TNR, but I was open to checking it out regardless. Check this album out if you were a product of the grunge or old school rock n’ roll eras. Avoid this one if you’re into death metal or any other heavy stuff. It’s way out of that realm.

4.0/5