Atreyu
After the medicore reaction to their first post-Victory Records album (2007′s ‘Lead Sails Paper Anchor’). Atreyu’s 5th album ‘Congregation of the Damned’ is an attempt to find a return to form for the Californian 5-piece.
‘Stop! Before It’s too Late and We’ve Destroyed It All’ shows a band with energy and effort with a blistering guitar riff leading the way and Alex Varkatzas’ rasby shouts and screams fitting in well. Add to this a fist-pumping chorus and you understand the bands overall of aim of this; standard, guitar riff-filled songs that are listenable but nothing exceptional.
However ‘Bleeding Is A Luxury’ is more pleasing as the band use the familair method of melodic vocals from drummer Brandon Saller backed by the occasional scream from Varkatzas. Despite being a method the band have used tirelessly, it works very well. Whilst the title track takes all what was good of the previous track and adds a dark, horror-like tone . Whilst this is somewhat a new approach by the band, its not something that has been done before (see Avenged Sevenfold for details).
As the record goes along and Atreyu settle into their comfrot zone, tracks like ‘Black Days Begin’ and ‘Gallows’ is your typical hard rock/metalcore numbers. However ‘Storm To Pass’ is one of the albums highlights with its hooky, fierce chorus that is highly favourable.
Whilst ‘You Were the King, Now You’re Unconscious’ could be considered what this whole record is about. It’s slow build up with tribal drums that leads to a tight brand of thrash metal mixed in with Saller’s vocals. The slow build up dosn’t quite work well but the band’s dense sound and the track’s tempo, once it comes to life.
‘So Wrong’ is also worth mentioning with Varkatzas’ singing for a change, which despite is welcomed and with the impressive duelling guitars. Whilst ‘Lonely’ has a punky beat that brings the album alive, with its screeching guitar solos and thumping drums.
Atreyu’s return may be one with open arms to some but for other ‘Congregation of the Damned’ comes across as bland and tiresome, from a band that is stuck in a rut. Although there are signs of progression, for the most part this is your typical Atreyu record. It has good parts and bad parts but overall its limited to the bands style, one that has been done again and again.
‘Congregation of the Damned’ isn’t quite the return to form the band had hoped for but they are going the right away about it and there are signs of new ideas.
Review By AlterThePress
Artist: Atreyu
Album: Congregation of the Damned
Genre: Metal / Rock
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/atreyurock
-Tracklist-
Stop! Before It’s Too Late and We’ve Destroyed it All
Bleeding is a Luxury
Congregation of The Damned
Coffin Nails
Black Days Begin
Gallows
Storm to Pass
You Were King Now You’re Unconscious
Insatiable
So Wrong
Ravenous
Lonely
Wait For You
Read MoreTry Album [Megaupload] | Atreyu – Congregation of the Damned
Between The Buried And Me
There is so much that could, and should, be said about Between The Buried And Me, their lifespan, their discography, their style, their influence, etc; but for the constraints of time and appeal, will be unfortunately left out here. The Great Misdirect is aptly named for so many reasons, of which only one will only be pointed out here. When an album is labeled “Album of the Year”, it’s usually under the premise that from start to finish it will literally blow you away. The Great Misdirect falls short of that aspect; and in a sense, for that very reason it makes this album, quite easily, THE album of the year.
From the start, classic BTBAM comes about, yet it’s the subtlety and intrigue that starts to pull you in. Known for their chaotic time and genre changes, the band keeps this principle, but there seems to be more latent overlays intertwined into the songs during the heavier sections. ‘Obfuscation’ brings about some of the most incredible harmonic architecture. The vocal layers initiate depth and exposure to a sort of dissonant beauty.
The reciprocity of the ups and downs balances this album wonderfully. ‘Disease, Injury, Madness’ introduce the vocal melodic layering that exemplifies the bands complex simplicity; it’s oxymoronic framework that portrays a stunning equilibrium. Afterward, perhaps the most musically diverse segment from this album is displayed in the “Fossil Genera” track. It would be awkward to ignore the similarities to appropriately distinct, The Dillinger Escape Plan, especially regarding the timing structure, and guitar work. Here, some of the best dynamic progression is displayed in the album.
“Desert of Song” presents a minor chord growth that is a significant new element; and while it is slightly obscure, it is masterly at alluring one in and influencing them to sing along with the melody, regardless of whether the actual lyrics are known. The finale track’s initiating has immeasurable contrast, as the track builds it channels a sort of Refused vocal attitude, implementing a refreshing material that is wholly engaging.
Between The Buried And Me has completed yet another masterpiece. From guitar work, vocals, drumming patterns, production mastery, etc; regardless of the segment analyzed in this gem, it excels to an exceeding level. Anyone remotely interested in musical ingenuity and/or discordant quality will instantly find this an epic, true to any definition. The Great Misdirect is by far a top contender for album of the year, if not the only competitor on its level.
Review By ReviewRinseRepeat
Artist: Between The Buried And Me
Album: The Great Misdirect
Genre: Metal / Progressive / Hardcore
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/betweentheburiedandme
Track Listing:
1. Mirrors
2. Obfuscation
3. Disease, Injury, Madness
4. Fossil Genera – A Feed From Cloud Mountain
5. Desert Of Song
6. Swim To The Moon
Sounds Like: The Dillinger Escape Plan, Prayer For Cleansing, Oh Sleeper
Read MoreTry Album [Mediafire] Between The Buried And Me – The Great Misdirect
Terra Firma
I’ll try to make this review as straightforward as the album itself, sparing you all the useless chit-chat that I normally use as an introduction. From my point of view, actually, few people who have no idea who Chritte is or have no clue about Count Raven and doom/heavy rock in general will lay hands on this album. So, more or less we all know what’s the story.
The story begins with one of the greatest doom metal vocalists of all time, Christian Lindersson (Chritte or Lord Chritus) teaming up with Unleashed guitarist Fredrik Lindgren to create Terra Firma and give birth to two excellent heavy rock albums. The latter of those is “Harms Way” and it is also the best in comparison. As the title of the review suggests, it is actually a killer album. Chritte is the most gifted of all of Ozzy’s children, in a way that his voice actually both is and is NOT reminiscent of the Prince of Darkness. His vocals here blow me away, he is so melodic, emotional and expressive that he could teach rock singers how to do the job. But apart from that, the songs themselves are pure rock ‘n’ roll glory. Heavy as much as heavy can get, “Groundman”, “Harms Way”, “Have Demon Will Travel” and the list could go on covering the entire tracklisting. No fillers, no highlights, not a millisecond of boredom or relaxation. Heavy riffing and haunting choruses all the way. Those of you who closely watch Lindersson’s career would expect something “doomier”, but the game here is “groove and fun”. So don’t expect some Count Raven or Saint Vitus clone songs because you won’t get any.
Too bad they disbanded after this one, I think the rest of the band (without Chritte) continue under the name of Harms Way, but I don’t think it would ever be the same. He surely makes the difference here, singing splendidly over splendid musical compositions, and the result is one of the best albums of the 00′s.
Review By Starkweather222000
Album: Harms Way [2000]
Genre: Metal / Thrash / Experimental
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/terrafirma1
-Track List-
1 Freebasing (Instrumental)
2 Groundman
3 Harms Way
4 Have Demon, Will Travel
5 Threefivenine
6 Dust Parade
7 Sway
8 Open Season
9 Steel Scale
10 Threefivenine
Every Time I Die
In the constantly colliding worlds of emo and hardcore, the overwhelming number of acts has been forcing even established bands to change in order to stay on top. My Chemical Romance launched a rock opera with The Black Parade, and even Avenged Sevenfold are promising a “different sound… something no one expects” on their upcoming LP. Given this atmosphere, it may come as a surprise that Every Time I Die chose not to deviate from their established sound with The Big Dirty. But maybe they had the right idea; why mess with success? Every Time I Die’s dueling guitars are as dirty as the album’s title suggests, grinding and chugging throughout. There are plenty of memorable riffs and some nice harmonizing, as showcased in the fourth track, “We’rewolf.” Stylistic flairs aren’t at the expense of the classic Every Time I Die breakdowns, though, so longtime fans shouldn’t have anything to be disappointed about. In short, the sound is Every Time I Die through and through.
It’s somewhat of a shame that vocalist Keith Buckley’s delivery often makes it hard to discern a lot of his lyrics, because they’re creative, entertaining, and even insightful at times. As far as the content, it generally tends toward Every Time I Die’s usual fare- women, partying, rocking, and kicking ass. The lyrics are a perfect accompaniment to the guitars, and the combination could get even a tranquilized elephant up and moving. Buckley peppers his usual memorable one-liners throughout, wailing “Til death do we rock / We’re so full of shit” on “Depressionista,” “You know I’m no good at court-ordered goodbyes” on “Pigs is Pigs,” and “A pox on your house of cards” on “Rebel Without Applause.” In addition to the content, the lyrics are delivered as only Buckley can, alternating easily between screaming, speaking, and chanting. No new tricks in this department, but no complaints either. Astute Alexisonfire fans will also welcome Dallas Green’s guest vocals on “INRIhab.”
The Big Dirty doesn’t offer much in the way of surprises, but it is by no means a disappointment. The songs are cohesive and the album flows effortlessly. Most of the songs chug along at similar tempos, so a little variation would have been a welcome change. However, slowing down seems to run against Every Time I Die’s philosophy of nonstop rock. There’s nothing wrong with this, as it is what they do best. The album is refreshingly devoid of poor songs, and favorites would be hard to discern. The Big Dirty is consistently solid, though “Rebel Without Applause,” “We’rewolf,” and the hilarious story of “No Son of Mine” do stand out among the pack. With the exception of “Rendez-Voodoo,” most of the songs have a similar sound, and they often walk a fine line between flowing well and running together. The album’s major shortcoming, though, is its length. Twelve tracks are packed into a mere 36 minutes, which isn’t much of a deviation from other Every Time I Die albums. The only advantage to its (lack of) length is it makes the album an amusing unit of measurement; the round trip to my recent doctor’s appointment was almost exactly two Big Dirties. By contrast, Google Maps estimates my upcoming road trip to North Carolina to be about 11.5 Big Dirties. Yikes.
The Big Dirty is the logical continuation of Every Time I Die’s career; it’s distinct enough to exist on its own, but recognizable as their work. The band doesn’t force unnecessary experimentation, and the music sounds very natural and organic for its style. Every Time I Die keep it refreshingly gimmick free and pack The Big Dirty with what their fans will undoubtedly want to hear. This band is simply here to rock and roll, and The Big Dirty definitely rocks.
Review By AbsolutePunk.net
Artist: Every Time I Die
Album: Discography
Genre: Metal / Hardcore / Southern Rock
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/everytimeidie
-Album List-
Read MoreDOWNLOAD EP: EVERY TIME I DIE – THE BURIAL PLOT BIDDING WAR EP
DOWNLOAD ALBUM: EVERY TIME I DIE – LAST NIGHT IN TOWN
DOWNLOAD ALBUM: EVERY TIME I DIE – HOT DAMN
DOWNLOAD ALBUM: EVERY TIME I DIE – GUTTER PHENOMENON
DOWNLOAD ALBUM: EVERY TIME I DIE – THE BIG DIRTY
DOWNLOAD: EVERY TIME I DIE – “THE MARVELOUS SLUT”
The World Alive
Tyler “Telle” Smith has been quite a busy man (Telle, if your reading this, you probably saw it coming). His journey started in Emarosa, and he then moved on and started In Fear And Faith. From there he went on to play bass for Greeley Estates then finally landed the role of the frontman in the The Word Alive. You may see a correlation between these bands.
Empire opens with the track “Battle Royale” and comes in with a bang. Skillful drumming, power chords, great riffs, schizophrenic keys and great vocals are all displayed within the first track of the EP. The guitarists create heavy riffs and catchy solos throughout Empire (see “How To Build An Empire”). “Quit While You’re Ahead” displays how quickly The Word Alive can transition from a soft tone to a heavy breakdown. “The Only Rule Is There Are No Rules” shows just how heavy The Word Alive can be. Opening with some deep growls, it continues with great riffs, an insane double bass and countless breakdowns throughout the song. The band can work great together and is shows on the track “Inviting Eyes.” Some keyboardist in the metalcore genre do too much and it can get annoying but the keyboardist places everything well on Empire. “How To Build An Empire” opens with great effects and sounds like something In Fear And Faith would do (no offense, Telle).
Craig Mabbitt was the orignal vocalist for The Word Alive and left big shoes for newcomer Tyler “Telle” Smith, but Telle’s growled and clean vocals are outstanding on Empire. His vocals are simple and make this EP so much better. The subjects are about life and are something we all can relate to. “Every single time I see your face/ it reminds me of why I walked away” is a perfect example.
The Word Alive have stepped it up and debut with a great EP. If you’re a fan of Agraceful or Blessthefall, you’ll sure to be a fan of The Word Alive’s Empire.
Review By AbsolutePunk.net
Artist: The World Alive
Album: Empire [2009] (EP)
Genre: Metal
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thewordalive
-Track List-
1. Battle Royale
2. Quit While You’re Ahead
3. Casanova Rodeo
4. Inviting Eyes
5. The Only Rule Is That There Are No Rules
6. How To Build An Empire
Try Album [Megaupload] | The World Alive – Empire
Mediafire Mirror Download:
http://www.mediafire.com/?bnncon2zn2n
Bullet For My Valentine
Forgive me if this review seems somewhat bemused; either I was distracted by the Lost message boards while scribbling my notes or Bullet for My Valentine’s newest record, Scream Aim Fire, just couldn’t keep my attention. We’ll just say it’s a combination of both.
I’m one of those people who judge bands by their names. If the name is dull, chances are I won’t check the band out, which is probably why I spent the last couple years ignoring the Welsh metal outfit, Bullet for My Valentine, due to the daft nature of their name. However, I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when I heard some tracks from their debut album The Poison, released early in 2006. Being a sucker for a good riff, I found The Poison to be entertaining, but not the next Ride the Lightning.
Scream Aim Fire kicks off with the title track, immediately setting the tone of the album with ripping guitar lines and accelerated drum beats. Surprisingly, Matt Tuck doesn’t distort his voice with gruff screaming until the breakdown, instead showcasing his strong vocal talent which is often compared to Metallica’s James Hetfield. “Eye of the Storm” follows along the same lines, with the typical syncopated drum/guitar opening. The guitar work is impressive, offering classic metal influence on the solos and expeditious riffs on almost every other part of the song. However, flashy guitar work is a staple of metal and isn’t anything new. If you want to make it big, you have to offer something new and exciting. “Waking the Dead,” however, offers the much needed attitude to revert my attention away from the computer screen and back to the notebook with powerful guitar riffs and authoritative drums. The band’s arena rock influences are certainly evident on “Hearts Burst Into Fire” and “Deliver Us from Evil.” Both songs (which slightly remind me of Finch, around the What It is to Burn-era) have a largely epic feel and seem to be tailored specifically for the large arenas the band will be playing on this year’s A Taste of Chaos Tour. “Take It Out of Me,” however, wins the award for the best song on the album. Opening with a hint of southern flavor, the song bears a fashionable guitar hook and skillfully transitions into a soft bridge before the intensity builds back up before the song’s denouement. The album closes with the disappointing “Forever and Always,” a song that sounds almost as cheesy as the title.
Bullet for My Valentine aren’t bad any standards. Scream Aim Fire is an album that showcases the band’s meshing of older arena rock influences and modern metal. However, the album lacks attitude. Rhythmically, the band doesn’t offer anything new and exciting; instead they seem to fall back on the same ideas and rhythms that have defined the strong genre lines that few bands are afraid to cross. If I were to give the band some advice, I would advise adding a “presence” to their music. Use some more pinch harmonics. Write drums parts that show some agility. And for Pete’s sake, show some double-kick skills.
All in all, Scream Aim Fire is a rifftacular journey into the world of arena metal. If power ballads are your thing, then you’ll love this album. As for me, however, I’m going to close my notebook and re-watch last night’s episode of Lost.
Review By AbsolutePunk.net
Artist: Bullet For My Valentine
Album: Discography
Genre: Metal / Hardcore
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/bulletformyvalentine
-Album List-
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