The first time I read a review utilizing this description, I was

Published 7:00 am Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The first time I read a review utilizing this description, I was downright jealous that I hadn’t come up with it myself. At the time, I could think of few better ways to say, in four words, that a band has, either with shredding skills or sheer volume, impressed you so much with the awesome power of music as to feel that your skin has literally begun to lose shape and disintegrate. It was clever. It was catchy. Which is why everyone started copping the phrase for themselves. Suddenly, I began getting press releases with headings like, “This Band: Get Ready For Face-Meltage!” and seeing other people introduce bands at shows using the phrase, “This band will melt your face off,” which, I assure you, made me cringe like I’ve never cringed before. There’s even a meltyourfaceoff.net. Once, it was clever. Now, it’s just obnoxious. Like “rocks my socks,” this particular catchphrase has been beaten to death, and the carcass is stinking up everyone’s vocabulary. So please. I beg you all: Let’s retire the face melting from our lexicon for a while. It would make me so happy. Love,Your friendly local music listener, fan and writer