Beating the likes of
Filter,
God Lives Underwater,
Gravity Kills, and
Stabbing Westward to the punch,
Econoline Crush honed in on the hybrid sound of electronic rock that was often recycled throughout the latter part of the '90s. Although it wasn't a groundbreaking effort,
Purge helped showcase the band's ability to write strong melodic hooks. While the lyrics on the EP were centered around grunge-attributed themes of alienation and despair, they were presented amidst more pop-oriented arrangements. The band also had singer Trevor Hurst's vocal ability to add to their credit. Recorded during a time when it was decidedly more popular to scream than croon,
Purge focused in on Hurst's broad vocal range, giving their heavy production more soul and melodic sense. While the band's debut didn't garner much success in America, it did succeed in landing them a Juno nomination (the equivalent of a Grammy award in America) in their native Canada. ~ Don Kline