The Devil Wears Prada
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TRY ALBUM: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – PATTERNS OF A HORIZON
TRY ALBUM: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – DEAR LOVE: A BEAUTIFUL DISCORD
TRY ALBUM: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – PLAGUES
TRY ALBUM: TDWP – WITH ROOTS ABOVE & BRANCHES BELOW
DOWNLOAD: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – “STILL FLY”
DOWNLOAD: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – “SPONGEBOB GRINDPANTS”
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Burden of A Day
There’s been a flood of these “scenecore” acts in the past year and it seems Rise Records is the depot of a lot of it. Each band on the label, with the exception of one or two, sounds nearly the same = breakdowns, some synth/piano, and a mixture screaming and singing. I’m not saying this is bad because if you have an ear for it, sign it, but still, it’s gotten a bit ridiculous. One band hoping to break away from this image is Burden of a Day, whose new album, One, One Thousand,” is just hitting stores this week and let me tell you, it packs a punch.
Starting heavily with punk like chords and sing/scream vocals, “Remember,” quickly displays the technical abilities of the group. It’s not the most approachable opener, but it’s surely one to grab your attention. However, the catchy riffs of, “Fool Me Once,” will likely pull more people into the record. I would like to note, the electronics are much more absent on this than most Rise Releases and it’s all for the better as BoaD’s punk like metal helps draw attention like synthesizers only wish they could. A solid example can be found on the epically brutal, “The Mason,” which is an easy standout for best track on the record.
A problem with albums of this genre is not siply lasting power on repeat plays, but keeping things interesting even the first time through. I mean breakdowns can only get you so far before you have to find a new game. For Burden of A Day, the ability to keep us listening is something that seems to come easily for awhile. Tracks like, “Sly Fox,” and “OneOneThousand,” have great structure and instrumentation that give way to hooks that just latch onto your subconscious and remain there for days. However, that’s only two of the back 5 tracks and let me say, the other three feel a bit dull. I mean, not only does this band play the same sounding song over and over, but so does about 45 other full time touring acts right now that are on the same exact shelves. I will note that the closer, “My Forfeit,” has a beautiful message and true display of the band’s faith, but it still feels like something I’ve heard twelve other times this year.
In the end, I’m split on my thoughts for One One Thousand. I mean, they play breakdowns and meld sing/scream vocals quite well, but so does I See Stars, A Day To Remember, In Fear and Faith, and a few other acts who’ve had album out thus far this year. However, the lyrical content hear is quite strong and I wish there was a better platform to get their message of faith across than metalcore, but it’s what they’ve chosen to do. So, as I walk away from about the tenth play of the album, I’m still at a crossroads. There’s something to be said for doing what everyone else does well, but it’s still what everyone else does. I guess it’s a genre of pick and choose acts and to me, Burden of A Day just doesn’t make the cut.
Artist: Burden Of A Day
Album: One One Thousand
Genre: Screamo / Post-Hardcore / Christian
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/burdenofaday
- Track List -
01. Remember 03:39
02. Fool Me Once 03:43
03. The Mason 03:31
04. Oceans 01:24
05. The Shame In Shedding Wool 03:35
06. Sly Foxes 03:52
07. Isadora Duncan 03:47
08. OneOneThousand 03:28
09. Modern Gentlemen 03:34
10. My Forfeit 03:59
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Gwen Stacy
It’s a new season for hardcore band Gwen Stacy on their sophomore effort, A Dialogue. Since the release of their heralded debut, The Life I Know, the band has since jumped labels, now calling Solid State home, and now has a new vocalist in Geoff Jenkins. Toss in a new producer with Andreas Magnusson (Haste the Day, Oh Sleeper, Becoming the Archetype) and one might anticipate a whole new sound for the Midwestern band. Not so, my friends, not so.
Gwen Stacy explodes back onto the scene with a fine collection of face-melters that let Jenkins scream his lungs out while drawing in some melodic moments as well. It’s an odd marriage at first but is one that the band uses to its great advantage, offering up some diversity amongst the impassioned and sometimes monotonous screams. And it’s exactly what sets this band apart from the rest, allowing for a tag team effect as Brent Schindler‘s bass and T.J. Sego‘s drum work hammer home the hardcore while Patrick Meadows fine guitar virtuosity offer up something just a little different.
And for this listener, it’s clearly those “hardcore-meets-melodic” tracks that really stand out this time. Songs like “The First Words” hint at this element but are more fully realized on the title track and “Creation And How I See It.” “Devil Devil” is another track that gleans some joy from Meadows’ guitar chops while “Addictionary” really shows off another side of Jenkins’ vocals. And fans of simple blasts of sonic power need not fear; GS packs plenty of punch in tracks like “Profit Motive,” “Braveheart,” and “The Making Of.”
All things considered, Gwen Stacy’s recent changes haven’t really affected the band in the least. The band still knows how to bring it, and in this genre, that’s a good thing. If you’re looking for something to rip your face to shreds, A Dialogue is as good a place to start as any.
Artist: Gwen Stacy
Album: A Dialogue
Genre: Metalcore / Christian
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/gwenstacy
- Tracklist -
1. The First Words
2. Profit Motive
3. A Dialogue
4. Words of the New Prophet
5. Creation and How I See It
6. Devil Devil
7. Braveheart
8. Addictionary
9. A Middle Ground
10. The Making Of
11. The Sound of Letting Go
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Relient K
This is it how it should always happen. Relient K, a band once known for quirky little pop culture references peppered with mild God-isms, is now a pop-rock powerhouse. With more former members than current ones, the band has somehow outlasted every complication, including 2007’s absolutely terrible output Five Score and Seven Years Ago. That abomination’s only silver lining is its sneak peaks at the joy within Forget and Not Slow Down. Singer Matt Thiessen has bounced back with the best choruses and most emotionally charged songs of his career. But what becomes most apparent during Forget and Not Slow Down is its cohesiveness, that indefinable feeling when everything is exactly where it should be. A first for the band, intros like “Oasis” and outros like “Flare” create brief moments of reflection before their counterparts continue the noble task of blowing us away. Lucky you, welcome to 2009’s Swan Song.
Instantly infectious, “Forget and Not Slow Down” starts with the words, “How many times can I push it aside? / Is it time I befriended all the ghosts of all the things that haunt me most?,” and it becomes clear that we are in for a personal (but thoughtful!) record. A certain level of intelligence is expected from Relient K at this point, so the real sigh of relief comes when Hoopes and Thiessen lead the charge into an explosively memorable chorus. Some formulas just work, and Forget and Not Slow Down’s mid-tempo, uplifting rock succeeds more triumphantly than you’d think. “I Don’t Need A Soul” adds a slowed-down bridge to the proceedings so that we can build up into a heavenly sugar rush. “Candlelight” is an Mmhmm song on steroids with its tinkling percussion and oh-so-light backing vocals. We couldn’t have asked for a more pleasing introduction.
But let’s be honest, these aren’t really wacky left turns for the band. It’s hard to make something stand out after 10 years of doing small rewrites in the same essay. What makes these “better” than Relient K’s other works is the band’s steadfastness in creating each song’s mood. “Savannah” is all at once the band’s lightest and heaviest fare. Abstractly picked guitar and Thiessen in hushed tones means it could all erupt into another radio ready chorus, but instead the mood stays subdued. We’re completely in their hands, following along in awe. “This Is The End” catapults from an antsy piano ballad into the album’s loudest, punk-est number. Thiessen has a bite in his vocals that he has of late kept under lock and key: “You’re not the first thing in my life that I’ve loved and lost / Yeah I’ve done worse things that I might be less inclined to merely just shrug off.” In the same way that we tip-toed behind “Savannah”, we fist pump and burn s**t to the ground while “This Is The End” smashes around. A classical-ish piano part then connects “This Is The End” with closer “(If You Want It)”, and don’t be alarmed if you have no idea what to expect. Pop-punk bands rarely create actual drama, but on first listen a happily anxious vibe will overtake you while Thiessen tones himself down over a grand string section. Is he going to unleash or what? He croons, “I’ve been convincing myself that I’m worthwhile / Cause I’m worth what I’ll convince myself to be.” And then it happens, right?
Review By AbsolutePunk.net
Genre：Pop Punk / Christian / Alternative
Album: Forget And Not Slow Down
MySpace：http://www.myspace.com/RelientK
- Track List -
01. Forget And Not Slow Down 3:22
02. I Don’t Need A Soul 3:51
03. Candlelight 3:21
04. Flare (Outro) 0:59
05. Part Of It 3:20
06. (Outro) 1:34
07. Therapy 3:43
08. Over It 3:53
09. Sahara 3:48
10. Oasis (Intro) 0:40
11. Savannah 4:16
12. Baby (Outro) 0:46
13. If You Believe Me 3:20
14. This Is The End 2:16
15. (If You Want It) 3:18
Read MoreTry Album [Mediafire] | Relient K – Forget And Not Slow Down