Review: Skycamefalling - 10.21

artist: skycamefalling album: 10.21 label: ferret records released: 12/5/00 by: eduardo moutinho This CD has been out for a while, and it has garnered a lot of critical acclaim. I got a hold of it a few weeks ago, and I’ve been listening to it on a regular basis. So I’d like to put my two cents in about it. Skycamefalling is one of the most well-known melodic hardcore bands out there. 10.21 is their most recent release, and it’s a relatively decent album. From the get go, the album begins with an instrumental piece. This is a popular trend that almost everyone in the genre likes to jump into. The track is forgettable, and fails to add the element of poignancy that was intended. There’s another instrumental track on the album that is okay, but it’s also nothing special. As the album really begins, with the song “With Paper Wings,” it’s easy to see the musical style of this band. They have a hard-edged style, with aggressive guitars and vocals. There’s very little singing on this album. There are no hints of melodic breakdowns whatsoever in this band’s music. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes the music seem more repetitive. The band has a hit-you-in-the-head style that works for a while, but leaves you yearning for a bit more substance. There are very good songs on this album that show off the talent of this band. “Porcelain Heart Promises” starts off with a ferocious tempo, which is really well-done. I especially like the way it starts off immediately after the second instrumental piece. There is a well-done segue here, where it goes from almost silence to chaos. The structure of the song is interesting. It stands out among the other songs on the album. “The Nothing” and “An Ocean Apart” are songs that are a little more “epic” in their nature. They’re both a little longer in length, and feature the best musicality on the album. “The Nothing” is regarded by many as the best track on this album. It’s a bit more diverse than the other offerings, and is definitely a good listen. “An Ocean Apart” ends the record, with a hard-hitting, crunchy, sort of song that has a very interesting pause of silence in the middle. The song basically heads into the stretch run, fades out for four minutes, and fades back in. It’s really strange, but actually pretty cool. And get this, the song’s length is ten minutes and twenty-one seconds. How clever… To be blatantly honest, this album didn’t really do it for me. I like skycamfalling. I do. They’re not a bad band at all. Having a kick ass name doesn’t hurt… But I didn’t see why Lambgoat liked this album so much, along with other critics. The band has a really distinct sound, that I find to be a tad unexciting after a few listens. The stronger songs on this album are still good, and they find spots on my playlist once in a while. This is by no means a bad album, but it’s not that innovative, and it could have been a lot better. favorite song: “porcelain heart promises” rating: 78%/100% listen to skycamefalling