The old parable “a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters, if given infinite time, could write the works of Shakespeare” is an examination of the effects of randomness. In the case of Montreal punk rockers Trigger Effect, the parable can be extended to, “If a couple of punk rockers are given a bunch of pot and a bit of time to record an album, could they ever produce an album nearing the genius of Black Flag?” The answer, simply put, is “fuck, no.”
Trigger Effect is a band you’d expect to see on some cloth patch on some greasy longhaired dude’s ugly-ass jean jacket outside a metal concert. Dare to Ride the Heliocraft is a balls-to-the-wall hardcore punk album that’d have been considered innovative about 20 years ago. Currently, though, it’s all the same shit in a younger package.
The band’s attempts to rock out leave any dispassionate listener rolling their eyes. Trigger Effect is obviously trying their hardest to keep the album interesting. Songs like “El Vice” offer a little stylistic variation from the norm with surf-rock doo-wops. Otherwise, it’s all the same song one after another.
One of the song titles on Dare to Ride the Heliocraft perfectly describes the entirety of the album: “Angry Morons.” If you don’t enjoy wearing an ugly leather jacket with metal studs through it, avoid this album like it was the monkey from Outbreak.