Review: Coliseum – Anxiety’s Kiss

I haven’t been what you’d call the biggest fan of Louisville, Kentucky rock outfit Coliseum since their 2005 EP, Goddamage—they seemed to lose a bit of their edge and ultimately wandered into uninteresting territory following that release. That said, I’m at least mildly impressed with Anxiety’s Kiss. Somewhat surprisingly, it reminds me a great deal of mid-to-late ’90s melodic hardcore as opposed to the crusty hardcore they seem to be mainly associated with: more Hot Water Music than Cursed, really. Anxiety’s Kiss is a fine sing-along rock record that current fans of the band will no doubt appreciate, but it doesn’t offer anything mind-blowing or even have anything I’d consider a “standout track.” It is enjoyable—though I don’t see it winning them any new followers or making any year-end lists. 
(Kilby 07.26) –Gavin Hoffman