Reviews For The Win!

“Returners” - The Ghost Inside

This is an album released that many people feel was a bit overhyped. While that may be the case, there’s no doubt that this release definitely lived up to my expectations. You remember how awesome the breakdowns were in “Fury And The Fallen Ones”? You probably thought they were impossible to beat, eh? Well, you’re wrong. At least in my opinion, this album’s breakdowns blow the previous ones away (examples: “Between The Lines”, “Unspoken”) The guitars are the best thing about this, and I’ll tell you why. The sound is so smooth. And in comparison to the previous album, they put them more in harmony with the vocals and drums. To me, that’s exactly what they needed to do. The riffs are nothing short of incredible, and they just flat-out improved ridiculously. The vocals have more or less the exact same sound, and you’ll notice that. But the quality is a hell of a lot better than it was given previously. A negative of the vocals is a bit of a constant chugging that doesn’t seem to end on most of the tracks. It seems to get annoying fairly quick. The drums pound like crazy in this. The d00d’s transition is so spot on, it’s nearly perfect. I kind of wish the cymbals were given some more power, however. 

The lyrics are really meaningful, and they still bring back the chants that they had in the previous release. This gives me the thought that they come together a lot better, and that’s a lost art in the hardcore music genre these days. This album is really solid, and you can’t really go wrong with buying it. If you felt the last CD just needed a little bit more, here you go. “Returners” is easily one of the best albums of 2010 so far. 

Might I also mention these guys thanked Lady Gaga and Ke$ha in this CD?

For Fans Of: For The Fallen Dreams, Hundredth, Stick To Your Guns

Final Rating: 92 out of 100.

Track Listing:

1. Walk Away from the World 
2. Greater Distance 
3. Between the Lines 
4. Unspoken 
5. Overlooked 
6. Chrono 
7. The Conflict 
8. Downbeat 
9. The Returner 
10. Through the Cracks 
11. Truth and Temper

Year: 2010.

“The Phoenix Throne” - Dead To Fall

I really enjoy this band. This album in particular. They really know how to have a good time, and you can easily sense that in this release. Any band that comes together well is definitely worth taking a listen to. The guitars are the best thing. Sometimes they display an atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re listening to The Faceless, and you didn’t really get that in the other albums. The guitars improved a ton, and that’s an understatement. The drums are also a really great thing about this album. The double bass is so extremely fast, you’ll lose your mind when the breakdowns show up. Though there’s a lot of repetitive bits in his drumming, it’s still really good and talented stuff. The vocals are nothing new, and if I had to point out a bad part about this band, it’d be that. They sort of keep the same pitch the whole CD, and that’s something they’ve kept since the beginning. It just gets really old. Back to the breakdowns, I’d have to say these guys are definitely in the top ten bands that deliver consistently good breakdowns. They sort of went breakdown-crazy in this release, and I’d probably change that given the chance, but it’s not as annoying as you’d think it is. Unless you really just don’t enjoy breakdowns. In that case, you’ll really hate this album.

The vocals aren’t the only thing un-unique about this CD. The sound all together has been heard before. But considering they’ve released so many albums, you can’t really say they’re a rip-off type of band. The lyrics are definitely one of a kind, though. Which adds on to just how well this band comes together. It’s amazing. 

This is a good all-around album to buy, but if you’re looking for unique, you’re looking in the wrong place. 

For Fans Of: A Life Once Lost, Remembering Never, The Acacia Strain

Final Rating: 64 out of 100.

Track Listing: 

1. All My Heroes Have Failed Me
2. Womb Portals
3. Smoke & Mirrors
4. Servant of Sorrow
5. Chum Fiesta
6. Guillotine Dream (Slow Drugs)
7. Doomed To Failure
8. Clock Tower Corpse Collector
9. The Reptile Lord
10. Death & Rebirth

Year: 2006

“Apologies Are For The Weak” - Miss May I

This is a band I’ve followed for quite a long time. Them being from Ohio, I’ve had the honor of seeing them live tons of times. When I heard they had signed to Rise Records, I was really excited. I knew they had tons of talent, and that they’d execute this release perfectly. If I had to point out the best part about this album, it would be the drumming. Jerod Boyd has some of the best drumming you’re ever going to hear. Definitely one of the most underrated in history, and I’m serious. Just try to listen to how fast the double bass is in every song on this album. And the way he mixes it together with everything else, it just sounds amazing. Moving on, I’ll go to the vocals. Levi Benton’s screams aren’t too unique, but they really get by pretty well. His lows could use a little work, however, his highs are incredible. Ryan Neff has good clean vocals as far as the album goes, but when you hear him live, mirrors get broken. It’s terrible. But that’s not the point. He sings really well on the CD, even though it’s somewhat a yell-sing. The guitars are stellar. The riffs are some that sound nearly impossible (example: “Tides”). 

Many think there isn’t anything memorable on the album. I beg to differ. The breakdowns and clean vocals are what set me to feel this way. Breakdowns featured in the tracks “Architect” and “Porcelain Wings” are impressive to say the least. And clean vocals shine in “Not Our Tomorrow” and “Forgive And Forget”. Though the structure of every track feels nearly the same, I think they pulled it off pretty good. They just need to make sure they change that on the next release and be a little more creative. Fortunately, there were no fillers that make you feel like you didn’t get your money’s worth. It’s ten tracks of good-length songs. Fillers are becoming a trend, and I find that annoying. Props to this band for not spreading it. 

In conclusion, this band has a lot of talent. This is a really good album for their debut release, and you can look for these guys to make a huge name for themselves in the future. Get this, it’s awesome. :D

For Fans Of: Asking Alexandria, Texas In July, The Devil Wears Prada

Final Rating: 87 out of 100.

Track Listing:

1. A Dance with Aera Cura
2. Architect
3. Not Our Tomorrow
4. Arms of the Messiah
5. Apologies Are for the Weak
6. Harlots Breath
7. Tides
8. Blessing with a Curse
9. Porcelain Wings
10. Forgive and Forget

Year: 2009

“Universe” - The Irish Front

When this album first came out, I was actually stoked. Being a huge fan of Ferret Records, I HAD to check this CD out. It was so stupid, I thought it was awesome. And then I was introduced to better bands of the ‘genre’, and now I realize this release is an absolute joke. When you listen to this, you literally feel like there’s more “fun” than actual music. Ferret Records basically paid for this to be put out, and that just surprises the hell out of me. The fact that they have two keyboardists and still no talent in the sound of them baffles me. Or even the point alone. Why do you need two keyboardists for any band or genre? This band also has two vocalists, which also display extremely sloppy screams. The drummer has a lot of talent, too. It’s such a shame that he’s wasting it with these guys. Same goes for the guitarist. This band is full of same-sounding breakdowns and ridiculously horrible fillers. Actually, go ahead and call the whole album a filler. “Teenage Whore Moans” in particular. You’re basically listening to a woman-moaning porno for nearly five minutes, also the LONGEST song on the album. “Chicago Typewriter” and “Boom Snap Clap” are the only legitimate sounding tracks out of all fourteen of them. The rap-session at the end of “Boom Snap Clap” from some unknown d00d not even in the band is the best part on the whole album. 

The lyrics are really immature, but I’m sure that didn’t come as a surprise to you. I don’t really see why going on should do any more good. This is such a waste of time. I don’t understand why so many people think this band is a big part of Deathcore. This isn’t even deserving of a genre. It’s not even music. It’s a drummer, terrible/ridiculous fillers, and sloppy vocals. Don’t even listen to it. I’m begging you. Don’t do it.

If you want talented fun bands, go to HeavyHeavyLowLow and HORSE The Band. Not this crap.

For Fans Of: Justin Bieber.

Final Rating: 3 out of 100.

Track Listing:

1. Galaxy Milk
2. Chicago Typewriter
3. Monsterbation
4. FIRE!!!
5. Invaders
6. The Fish
7. Urethra Franklin VS. Queef Latifah
8. Suck Fart Tootorial
9. W.A.S.P.
10. Teenage Whore Moans
11. Boom Snap Clap
12. Fog Mouth
13. Because Bomb Sniffing Dogs Don’t Work Underwater!
14. Porque Mi Barco Exploto?

Year: 2008 

“Old Crows/Young Cardinals” - Alexisonfire

This review will probably upset a lot of devoted fans, so I’ll say now, this is in my personal opinion. Alexisonfire is obviously a well-known and loved band. Straight out of Ontario, Canada, this group of guys have been taking the world by storm for quite some time. This being their fourth album, they’re certainly no rookies to the music business. But is this album worth listening to? Not if you’re comparing it to their previous releases. They seem to have lost all creativity they had in their release of “Crisis”, and they sound more generic than ever before. The old screaming mixture has been replaced by this annoying low talk-scream attempt that really gets old really quick. You’d really think that George Pettit would realize what he’s doing. Definitely the biggest problem on the album. Dallas Green’s marvelous clean vocals do sound much better, however. And that’s saying something, considering he had amazing vocals on “Crisis”. The drums also went down a notch. I’m not sure if that’s because they focused on more of a mainstream-styled genre or not, but it’s really upsetting. The guitar work basically sounds the same as it did in “Crisis”. They didn’t do better or worse in that department.

I love Alexisonfire. As a fellow Canadian, I take great pride in this band. But this album is impossible to be listened from start to finish. I can’t stand the change. I don’t see why it was necessary. Giving some credit, They do have an amazing message in this album, focusing on many different views such as same-sex marriage, America, and economics, but the way it’s done just doesn’t seem to get the job done. The lyrics seem sloppy and repetitive, and they’ve just plain downgraded themselves. This album is one of the biggest upsets I’ve ever listened to. For how long this release was held off, I expected “Crisis” times three. Instead, I got the opposite. This is not worth a buy, nor worth a listen, or even a free download. Don’t waste the space. I would say people that liked this band and wished they were a bit lighter should like this because it happened, but you’ll probably prefer the screams when you see what George Pettit has replaced them with. I hope these guys can pick themselves back up after this.

For Fans Of: Cancer Bats, City And Colour, Underoath.

Final Rating: 35 out of 100.

Track Listing:

1. Old Crows
2. Young Cardinals
3. Sons of Privilege
4. Born and Raised
5. No Rest
6. The Northern
7. Midnight Regulations
8. Emerald Street
9. Heading for the Sun
10. Accept Crime
11. Burial

Year: 2009

“OneOneThousand” - Burden Of A Day

After releasing two albums before this, these guys were still being looked over. No one knew their name, and not many people really caught on to them. Whether that were from how they didn’t bring anything new to the table or the fact that they were Christian, this album gets a handful of difference in comparison. A new vocalist came in by the name of Kyle Tamosaitis, and his voice is rather unique, I’d say. His range from singing to screaming and vice-versa is really impressive. Not to mention how much more mature the screaming’s sound is. Though, while it’s possible this album is a tad lighter than their previous album, I still think it’s a step forward. They’ve made this release so easy to listen from beginning to end. I’ve had it since it came out, and I still haven’t gotten tired of it. Now, on to instrumental work. The drumming is so much more noticeable. There’s a lot of talent in this guy, and he’s really underrated (example: “The Mason”). The cymbal sound is the standout by far, though. The guitars got more improvement in their riffs, but I still feel like they’re a bit boring for the genre and style. If there were any major flaws, it would be that. The quality and production of the release is solid, and it makes it even greater to listen to from start to finish. Everything has equal value, and that’s rare these days. 

The songwriting is a bit awkward most times, and you’d think it would have improved from their last two releases, but it’s not terrible. They also had to depend on a few fillers to make the album look legitimate, which means it’s kind of a short album. Besides that, if I had to get a majority outlook on it, these guys are breaking away from being unknown. They’re finding their hotspots and sticking to them. This album is there to show this is a band that should be taken seriously. I definitely think you should get this. There’s still work this band needs to work on, but you’ll love it. This is a new style I definitely hope will be able to stick with them.

For Fans Of: Before Their Eyes, Oceana, We Came As Romans.

Final Rating: 89 out of 100.

Track Listing:

1. Remember
2. Fool Me Once
3. The Mason
4. Oceans
5. The Shame in Shedding Wool
6. Sly Foxes
7. Isadora Duncan
8. OneOneThousand
9. Modern Gentleman
10. My Forfeit

Year: 2009

“With Ears To See And Eyes To Hear” - Sleeping With Sirens

It’s pretty obvious that the fame from this band is from the talent displayed at the vocals section. Kellin Quinn found his fame from the internet vocal work, and once Sleeping With Sirens released this debut album, the fanbase jumped all over it. And with the word being spread, these guys are getting big quick. Thankfully, this band hasn’t gone egotistical about it at all. Kellin’s voice is extremely unique, and he’s definitely the staple in this band. His vocal range is just absolutely incredible (example: “Let Love Bleed Red”). But when it comes to the screaming on this album, it could use a lot of work. It reminds me of an unexperienced old Our Last Night style. It doesn’t really mix that well. If it came to my opinion, I would have ditched screaming all together on this release. Kellin certainly could have made it work. And the generic breakdowns don’t completely help the screaming out at all. The drumming is pretty impressive, and I think the main focus for him would be how he doesn’t overdo anything. It’s really just well-rounded. The guitar riffs are really good, and I like the feel with the genre. All together, the instrumental work could use help, but I really feel like they can get there soon. And the production, while it may show specifically just how good Kellin sounds, it is kind of weak. The quality is kind of weak.

The structure and creativity in this band really impresses me. There aren’t chugging breakdowns every thirty seconds, and there just isn’t too much of one specific thing. You get a huge punch with this release, no matter what. For a debut release, it has a lot of little wholes that need to be filled. But at the same time, there aren’t a huge amount of albums that don’t. These guys are one of the most promising bands that you’ll find. With more quality in the production, work on the instrumentals, and mature the screams a little, these guys could be on their way. We can only hope that they won’t rush into their second release. This isn’t a bad buy from an upcoming band. I’d say take the risk.

For Fans Of: Our Last Night, Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa.

Final Rating: 71 out of 100.

Track Listing:

1. If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn
2. The Bomb Dot Com 2.0
3. You Kill Me (In a Good Way)
4. Let Love Bleed Red
5. Captain Tyin Knots vs Mr. Walkway
6. Don’t Fall Asleep at the Helm
7. With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear
8. In Case of Emergency, Dial 411
9. The Left Side of Everywhere
10. Outro

Year: 2010

“Self-Titled” - Write This Down

Now, I have such a long history with this band. As ridiculous as it may sound, they are one of the first bands in any type of screaming genre I ever listened to. Them, Drop Dead Gorgeous, and Underoath. Regardless of the fact that all they had was a simple demo song, I fell in love with these guys. And now they’ve gone a long way to get their debut record under the well-known label, Tooth And Nail. After hearing this album, not even being biased at all, these guys are going to be the next big thing under the label. A handful of their previous demos were perfected and put on there, and the quality has increased tremendously. The crazy thing? They have three members! The vocals are the best part of this CD, in my opinion. Clean and screams. While the low screams aren’t all that unique, the high screams are unlike any you’ll ever hear. As for the clean vocals, they are extremely calming, and they mix in so well with the screams. And those choruses are stellar! The guitar is really fitting for the genre. It really brings out the light and heavy style perfectly. The drums on the other hand aren’t much but cymbals. I feel like that aspect could use just a tad bit of work.

Obviously from a Christian label, these guys spread the word of Christ. So anyone that gets bored of hearing hardcore bands influenced by God, you’ve come to the wrong release. Their words are straight to the point, too. Anyone can follow their message, and I think that’s nice. I also think that the album should have been a little heavier or at least balanced between clean and scream vocals, considering how heavy their demos were, but there is definitely more clean than screaming. That’s really the only thing that would probably be a specific negative from my point of view.

My point in this review is that these guys have been together for a really long time, and the way they come together as a band is amazing. I’m not just saying this album is nearly perfect because I’ve known them for so long (I mean, you’ve seen my Drop Dead Gorgeous review, right?). This band is so talented, and for a debut album, this is a MUST BUY. It’ll have you singing along for months.

For Fans Of: To Speak Of Wolves, Our Last Night, Jamie’s Elsewhere.

Final Rating: 96 out of 100.

Track Listing: 

1. Alarm The Alarm
2. Despite Your Valor
3. Renegade
4. Hand Grenades
5. I Never Said I Was Through With You
6. Center Of Attention
7. Citadel
8. Redemption
9. We Shot The Moon
10. Kings And Consolers 
11. Heaven And Hell

Year: 2010.

“Stand Up And Scream” - Asking Alexandria

I’ve tried to avoid reviewing this album for awhile because of my frustration from all of the fangirls trying to make this band the next Bring Me The Horizon because of vocalist Danny Worsnop, but then I came to conclusions that this album was just too amazing to take hiatus on. This band is so talented, and with this being their debut release on Sumerian Records, these guys are going to go far. They already have that huge fanbase. And whether it be from fangirls for their looks that have no clue what a breakdown is, dance fanatics, or metalheads, they draw all of them in with this music. The synth is absolutely amazing. I don’t normally put that out there, but the electronic notes really emphasize the energy this band holds. The guitars have some really unique riffs, and really pound out the breakdowns when they come (and trust me, it does a LOT). The drumming is so easy to hear, and very melodic. It’s hard to believe a drummer in their debut album can keep a rhythm so well, but this guy pulls it off. The double bass pedal also hits like a ton of bricks. And last but not least, the vocals. Unlike Oliver Sykes (in my opinion), Danny Worsnop does have talent. And his accent just adds more interest to this band, making them stand out a tad more than other bands in the genre. But his personality has gone down the drain since Asking Alexandria has gotten so big. Thankfully, this album isn’t ruined because of that. But their future, you never know. I’m just saying. These guys have so much musical talent, it would be such a disappointment to watch it all go to waste. There’s also a guest vocal appearance from Shawn Milke of Alesana. Him and Alesana are a huge reason these guys got so big in the States this fast. It’s a really enjoyable track, “Hey There, Mr. Brooks”. 

The lyrics are really cheesy and comical at the same time. They let you know that they really just don’t care. Which sort of makes them the Emmure of their genre. Usually that’d be pretty awesome, but not for this genre. It just sounds a bit ridiculous having hateful words with dance beats following a minute later. Just doesn’t make much sense to me. The song titles are creative, though. And it’s a 48 minute long album, so you get quite a bit with this buy. 

I’d say for the most part, this is definitely worth it. Whether or not this band is going to get insanely popular and go rotten, make sure you get this release before that has the chance to happen. 

For Fans Of: Attack Attack!, BlessTheFall, Of Mice & Men

Final Rating: 93 out of 100.

Track Listing:

1. Alerion
2. Final Episode [Let’s Change The Channel]
3. A Candlelit Dinner With Inamorta
4. Nobody Don’t Dance No More
5. Hey There Mr.Brooks [Featuring Shawn Milke Of 
Alesana]
6. Hiatus
7. If You Can’t Ride Two Horses At Once…You 
Should Get Out Of The Circus
8. A Single Moment Of Sincerity
9. Not The American Average
10. I Used To Have A Best Friend [But Then He Gave 
Me An STD]
11. A Prophecy
12. I Was Once, Possibly, Maybe, Perhaps A Cowboy 
King 
13. When Everyday’s The Weekend

Year: 2009

“[id]” - Veil Of Maya

A band that’s getting a ton of hype for the Deathcore genre out of Sumerian Records, Veil of Maya releases the long-awaited second album, “[id]”. I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a big fan of this band, but I figured I’d give this album a chance. I thought, maybe they’d matured in their sound just a little more. Funny thing is, this didn’t blow me away, and the sound is more or less the same. I really think the guitarist is the only thing that makes this band talented. And I believe they take note of that, because they raise the sound in them over everything else, including the vocals. But that’s really all they have to work with. If you listen in on the drums, it seems like he does nothing but bang against a cymbal repetitively and have really quick double bass speed. That’s constant on this album, and it’s just plain annoying. I do enjoy that they emphasized their synth more. I’m a sucker for synth, and they were thankfully able to pull that off. The vocals have no different pitch than an Emmure-style high scream with less talent in lower quality. It’s just plain damn repetitive. But, hey! If you enjoyed the Veil of Maya you heard in their previous album, this is basically the exact same thing, just an extension. 

The album is just under 30 minutes long, too. It’s over before you know it. And for fans to get this album knowing it was so long since their previous release, it’s really anti-climactic. It’s eleven tracks long, and two of them are interlude-based, with only a little over a minute length. This is also including the 43 second introduction. So you’re basically getting an eight decent-length CD with a random interlude here and there. 

Considering I never enjoyed the band to begin with, I wasn’t too shocked going into this one. It’s not worth getting, or even giving a shot. Trust me. 

For Fans Of: After The Burial, Born Of Osiris, Circle Of Contempt

Final Rating: 14 out of 100. 

Track Listing:

1. [id]
2. Unbreakable
3. Dark Passenger
4. The Higler
5. Martyrs
6. Resistance
7. Circle
8. Mowgli
9. Namaste
10. Conquer
11. Codex

Year: 2010