Review – Doors & Fours

Album: Skid
Release Date: July 11, 2017
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Genre: Metal, Punk

Hard hitting Hamilton, Ontario based outfit Doors & Fours have released their second EP, Skid.  The release of Skid immediately follows their debut record from the punk cum metal trio this year as the band released their debut three-song EP, Demo, in June of this year.

After reading the band’s bio where they described themselves as “metal(ly) punk”, I was initially puzzled: how could one be metal(ly) I wondered.  After listening to their five track EP, it made much more sense.  The band opens the album with “Fade”, a song which captures the tone of their stylistic description through the band’s use of power chords over thrashing drums, while also bringing in a tasteful metal influence best heard through the thick distortion on the guitar and gravelly vocals from Adam Peach.  This blend of old-school punk and classic metal gives Doors & Fours a sound that is reminiscent of Suicidal Tendencies and Black Flag.  It is important to note that the low-fi nature of the recording adds an element similar to early grunge from the likes of Nirvana.

As mentioned, Skid is very much a low-fi album, which gives the band a greater sense of credibility when it comes to their classic punk influence.  At times, Peach’s voice can be difficult to hear or make out; however, this may have been intentional as Doors &Fours started as the trio’s project to protest the all too common fad of over producing every aspect in the recent pop and indie musical scenes.  Instead, Doors & Fours embrace a grungy and gritty quality which give tracks like “The More You Know” and “Your Own Disease” a sense of raw aggression and expression.

Skid is not a record for everyone.  Punk rock and metal are two styles which often thrive on a smaller collection of fans through a community separate from the mainstream, but even then, when you take a classic low-fi approach to the record, again it appeals to a smaller niche.  That being said, Skid is an excellent throwback to the roots of punk, specifically the Orange County scene of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.  Not only are Doors & Fours able to capture this particular style,  but all five tracks on Skid are unique amongst each other, making the whole album worth listening to for an punk who is looking to feel nostalgic over how great it felt to pogo at a house show.

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Gerrod Harris

I’m Gerrod, a Toronto based writer and musician. As soon as I started drumming, music became one of my greatest passions. Since then, I have also picked up the guitar, bass, and a hint of the piano. I am currently studying music and education at York University, and drum in a local hard rock band, One In The Chamber. This puts me right in the heart of Toronto’s growing music scene.