Various Artists – This is Solid State: The DVD
Solid State Records – TNDVD44772 – June 7th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
I streamed most of these videos during the past few months, and always begrudged the fact that they weren’t available for download. Well, now I see why they aren’t. Despite the weakening of Solid State over the past few years,
This is Solid State: The DVD is a rewarding, budget-friendly purchase for anyone who’s a fan of the label.
The core of the DVD, as one can surmise from the title, is the videos that have been shot over the past couple of years. Bands such as
Beloved,
Haste the Day,
The Chariot,
He is Legend,
Showbread,
Demon Hunter,
Norma Jean,
Stretch Arm Strong,
Dead Poetic, and
Underoath frequent the disc, and the aforementioned list is representative of all the included artists. Needless to say, if you like a particular song then – chances are – you’ll like the video as well. Perhaps the most impressive and visually appealing outings are
Showbread’s “Mouth Like a Magazine” and the erratic
Norma Jean video for “Bayonetwork: Vultures in Vivid Color.” As an added bonus, several videos receive commentary from band members, and a select few are narrated by members of
other bands, which makes for some interesting material. In hindsight, I do wish that
This is Solid State: The DVD housed every video that the label ever made, even if that would’ve jacked up the price.
Solid State’s heyday is apparently gone, but they still release quality albums/videos on a consistent basis. Casual passersby need not apply; only the fanatics will cherish this DVD. However, it does provide much-needed bang for the bucks.
8/10
Official Solid State Records Website
