Review: As I Lay Dying - Frail Words Collapse

artist: as i lay dying album: frail words collapse label: metal blade records released: 2003 by: rob tatum Forty seconds into “94 Hours”, the first song on Frail Words Collapse, As I Lay Dying hits the listener with one of the heaviest breakdowns I have ever heard and follows it with another. Thus starting one of the hardest hitting metalcore albums I have heard in quite some time. Ordinarily I wouldn’t expect myself to like a band like As I Lay Dying with the metal riffs and double bass on top of the fact they are another Christian hardcore band. One listen through this album threw all of that out the window. Musically, this album is superb. Outside of the occasional fast-paced and double bass parts that get irritating, I couldn’t imagine a better arranged album. I didn’t think that anything could top the first song after I initially listened to it, but as I continued through Frail Words Collapse the album keeps getting better and better. The songs are very heavy, but still have a melodic feel to most of them. Vocally, Tim Lambesis’s voice reminds me somewhat of older Zao, but is more understandable. These clear-cut screams make the songs even better. There is also singing in a couple of songs which diversifies the album. Lyrically the band manages to stay true to their religious side without preaching. The songs are more general and can appeal to a range of listeners. In 12 songs, and just under 40 minutes, As I Lay Dying has created one of the better metalcore albums I have listened to. They managed to stay away from too much metal or too much hardcore and have found a very good niche for creating songs. Each song is heavy, but has a melodic feel. The breakdowns are packed with tons of energy. This album would be an awesome addition to any metalcore fan’s collection. favorite song: "forever" rating: 87%/100% listen to as i lay dying

Review: This Day Forward - In Response

artist: this day forward album: in response label: equal vision records released: 2003 by: rob tatum I can remember the first time that I heard This Day Forward on their Transient Effects of Light on the Water full length and I thought to myself, great, another band jumping on the metalcore bandwagon. I enjoyed that album, but it really didn’t establish TDF as anything special. Now, with In Response, TDF has managed quite the turnaround. This album demonstrates a real transformation musically and vocally. TDF shows much more complex song writing and structures. Gone are the straight forward metal riffs and breakdowns. In Response is almost post-hardcore, but I would probably call it rock-based hardcore. The intensity of the older material is still there, but mixed with the melody, it creates a much more enjoyable listen. Anyone who dismissed TDF based on their older material really must give this a listen. The change is hard to put into perspective. It is that drastic and for the better. Vocalist Mike Shaw has really learned to do much more than scream and it is very apparent on this release. There is a good deal of singing in most of the songs. The lyrics are much more dynamic than the previous releases. I am thoroughly impressed by how the band has matured with time. All the songs have a deeper feel to them and really grab the listener. This Day Forward used to be an average band from my perspective, but this release has changed my opinion greatly. This is a very solid release with great melody and song structures. favorite song: "the breath" rating: 88%/100% listen to this day forward

Review: The Black Dahlia Murder - Unhallowed

artist: the black dahlia murder album: unhallowed label: metal blade records released: 2003 by: rob tatum Well, anyone who has ever heard me complain about too much double bass or how much I can’t stand really fast paced, heavy music can just imagine how much I enjoyed this album. Unhallowed teased me with a lovely instrumental, then went down the drain from there. I’m not really sure how they managed to get 36 minutes out of ten songs because most of the songs have such blistering tempos. There is a ton of metal riffs, blast-beats, and double bass. The vocals are atrocious. The high pitched screaming combined with the deep outbursts of backing vocals are not a good combo for any band, and The Black Dahlia Murder is no different. The lyrics are typical of a metal band: long, dark, and overdramatic to say the least. Nothing about them really impressed me at all. Not to take away from every part of the band, the guitarists seem to have the talent, but this isn’t the best way to harness it. If you like metal, then by all means give this a listen, but otherwise don’t bother. It didn’t light my fire, and it probably won’t light yours either. favorite song: "unhallowed" rating: 67%/100% listen to the black dahlia murder

Review: Small Brown Bike - Nail Yourself to the Ground EP

artist: small brown bike album: nail yourself to the ground EP label: no idea records released: 2003 by: rob tatum Small Brown Bike unveils five new songs intended to hold fans over until the release of their next full length. Well, these songs will do much more than just hold fans over. The EP is filled with driving guitar and melodies of typical Small Brown Bike fashion. The songs all have their own unique feel and really make this a solid release. One listen to the EP and the listener will clearly distinguish this as a Small Brown Bike release, but even so, there is growth and maturity exhibited from their other releases. The fourth song, “So I Fall” is entirely acoustic and much slower paced than the rest of the EP. The rest of Nail Yourself to the Ground is filled with strong melody, energy, and some great sing-alongs, all staples of a Small Brown Bike release. Like I mentioned above, much of the same formula was used to create this as their previous releases, and that is apparent by the lyrics and song structures, but as with any of their releases, you can see the progression the band has made. If Nail Yourself to the Ground is the appetizer to their next album, then I really can’t wait to sink my teeth into that when it comes out. favorite song: "blank landscapes" rating: 86%/100% listen to small brown bike

Review: Beloved - Failure On

artist: beloved album: failure on label: solid state records released: 6/24/2003 by: eduardo moutinho It seems that something has gotten into the main water supplies of North Carolina causing its youth to band together and form melodic hardcore bands. Seriously. The state is not only known for churning out melodicore gods hopesfall, Michael Jordan, and scene mainstays Between the Buried and Me, another tar-heeled melodicore group has shown itself to the masses, Beloved. Following the mold set forth by their brethren, Beloved orchestrates passionately raw music, infused with melody. Failure On, the band's latest release, is one of those irritating records filled with moments of genius and moments of absolute blandness. Listening to this record is like eating your favorite type of hot pocket, enjoying it until you reach the uncooked and still cold center, and getting incredibly annoyed. That is the story of Failure On. The band finds its own gimmick, and exploits it to the point of redundancy. And it's an absolute shame. So what am I talking about? I'll get to that. Firstly, the album starts off wonderfully, with the strongest track, "Failure On My Lips." The song is littered with catchy little string ditties, crunchy rhythm parts, and a balance of singing and screaming. What really gets to me in this song is the fantastic end sequence; the melody is hypnotic. It is so good, worthy of listening on its own over and over. I was left very optimistic for the rest of the album. I honestly was reminded of hopesfall, and wondering if I was listening to another special band that would be taking up large chunks of my time in the future. So as I went through the next few tracks, that hope was squandered, yet my interest in the music didn't wane too much. The catchy little string ditties, crunchy rhythm parts, and singing and screaming I mentioned earlier were utilized in a really similar fashion in many of the songs. I started to think that the band came up with a lot of cool string accompaniments and hacked them together with some rhythm sequences, not minding if the songs followed the same pattern. While each song does sound different, the album seems to have nothing that stands out. The song "Allure," which strays away from the other tracks, in some respects, with its slow tempo structure, is a decent attempt at trying to throw some variety into the mix. "Death From Decay" also has an interesting sound, and is really strange, as it seems to be a three and a half minute long introduction as it builds up, builds up, builds up, and ends. Yet, these songs don't save the record from its underlying issues. The music is good, don't get me wrong. The guitars are great, with the aforementioned lead parts being quite effective. The singing is well done, if not a bit too saccharin. It's hard not to think of bands like Finch, The Used, and other groups that have the poppy, radio-friendly singing when listening to this guy croon. I find it to be good though, and welcomed, in this situation. The screaming is also well executed, and compliments the singing well. Unlike many bands in their genre, Beloved has more singing in the music than screaming. I'd say it's about 70% singing to 30% screaming, give or take 5%. The only real complaint I have with the music is with the overly simplistic drumming. I bet the drummer is much more talented than he comes across on the record, because his drumming is ordinary and sometimes a bit disappointing. On a few songs, he busts the single snare hit basic drum beats, in the style of a garage band punk drummer. And I know this guy isn't bad at all, as some songs, he manages to show signs of brilliance by doing some impressive tom work and cymbal selection. I just wish he would have attempted to make his parts more technical. In the end, Beloved left me upset with this record. Not because I thought they stunk it up and produced a record worthy of being a drink coaster, rather, they left me thinking a lot about their underutilized potential. Failure On could have been something really special, and in the end, it turned out to be an above average melodicore/post-hardcore album and nothing more. They still have plenty of time to put that potential to work, but I just don't know. This is the kind of record that can garner them a respectable fan base and propel them into the upper echelon of our scene because of its appeal to the semi-mainstream. I just hope they aren't looking for that. Are these guys worthy of being put in the same level as their Carolina brothers hopesfall? No. But are any bands close to hopesfall in terms of melodicore grandeur? I don't think so. Are these guys a good band? Yes. favorite song: “failure on my lips” rating: 85%/100% listen to beloved

Review: Saosin - Self-Titled EP

artist: saosin album: self-titled (ep) label: the mission family released: 6/17/03 by: eduardo moutinho I’m somewhat astonished that I never took the time out to review this EP. For the record, I’ll call myself out; my bad. Anyway, for those of you who don’t know about Saosin (say-ocean), you’re in for a treat when you listen to Translating the Name. It’s an older release, but it is definitely noteworthy. Also, it’s the band’s current release. That’s no joke… Saosin is kind of difficult to characterize. While initial impressions would probably make one think of the band as well-wrapped, manufactured, sugar candy pop rock, that’s just not the case. This is well-crafted, aggressive emocore. Saosin is all about energy and tight musicianship. The music is good, really good. What gives the music its wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing sound is the singing. The vocals are extremely high-pitched, almost whiny. Think of a less polished Claudio from Coheed. In fact, the singer that recorded this EP is now the front man of Circa Survive, a solid up-and-coming band. Anyway, the singing gives the music a poppy edge to it, but, like Coheed, the instruments save the music from matching the crap being played by soulless, MTV-aspiring clones. The guitars and drums are fantastic. Honestly, the drummer on this EP is one of the best I’ve ever heard. His fills are incredibly technical, and the drumming itself sounds crisp. I was actually able to hear two versions of a demo of one of Saosin’s songs, one with the EP's drummer and one with an older guy. Seriously, the difference was incredible; the music hits another level with the EP's crazy fill maestro. Unfortunately, I have read that the band's current drummer is not the one who did the work on the EP. The guitars are lead-heavy, with emphasis on catchy string parts. Everything meshes together well, and the music moves along at a frenetic pace, which is good. Overall, the EP itself is solid. Songs like “Translating the Name,” “Lost Symphonies,” and “They Perch on Their Stilts, Pointing, and Daring Me to Break Custom” are truly memorable pieces. “Lost Symphonies” itself is a great technical demo for the band; I dare you to listen to the song just for the drumming. The other two songs, “Seven Years” and “3rd Measurement in C,” are somewhat average. They’re not bad, but the other songs are on a completely different plane. This is as good of a time as any to jump on the Saosin bandwagon. While I did mention that their sound had some soul, it is managing to transcend different boundaries in the music scene. I saw a video for one of their newer songs on Fuse the other day, not a good sign. Yet, while 12-year-old girls are becoming aware of this band, I’m not ashamed to say that I am a Saosin fan. favorite song: “lost symphonies" rating: 90%/100% listen to saosin

Review: With Resistance - Self-Titled

artist: with resistance album: self-titled label: immigrant sun records released: by: rob tatum Finally a melodic hardcore album that doesn’t have any strings attached. New Jersey’s With Resistance offers up their self-titled full length without any of the fancy packaging, without any of the acoustic songs, or techno whatever. For all the things that have put a blemish on the genre of melodic hardcore, this album is a shining star This album hits the listener with so much energy and melody that it’s nearly impossible to put into perspective. There are fast paced parts as well as breakdowns, but it flows so well, that you don’t really notice the deviations. It’s not the most complex album ever made, but everything is pieced together very well and it sounds really smooth. I know that you are probably saying to yourself, “A hardcore album that is smooth? Yeah, right.” My only response is to give this a listen. Lyrically, the album touches base on many general topics, not just sappy love songs, or angry anthems. Here’s a bit from the song “Character Flaw”, ‘You strut that pretty grin but I see that ugly heart. Fall to pieces. I’d love to put you in your place, but that’s not how I work. So I’ll just let you pass by.’ Musically, it isn’t just metal riffs over punk beats like the majority of the releases of late. The drumming during the breakdowns is quite good and the guitar work in general is excellent. The band has quite a bit of talent, and it is put to good use on this release. The vocals are probably most similar to early Poison the Well, but without the singing. This album isn’t anything extraordinary, but it is a glimpse of hope that maybe melodic hardcore won’t become watered down and boring. Anyone who is a fan of hardcore or thinks that maybe all the bands sound the same should give this a listen. It’s probably the best melodic hardcore release I have heard is a long time. favorite song: "nathan ate the last box of crayons" rating: 89%/100% listen to with resistance

Review: Anatomy of a Ghost - Evanesce

artist: anatomy of a ghost album: evanesce label: fearless records released: by: rob tatum Portland’s Anatomy of a Ghost bursts into the post-hardcore crowd with their debut, Evanesce. Combining elements of hardcore, punk, and emo, the album is quite diverse and could definitely turn some heads. This 11 song, 50 min effort has something for just about everyone. The first time I listened to this album, it really took some getting used to. John, the singer, has a unique voice that takes a couple songs to adjust to. Musically, it took a couple songs to find AOAG’s style. Their song structures are not your typical verse-chorus-verse style. If I was going to make a comparison, it would probably be to Thursday, or maybe a heavier Get Up Kids. Even then, I don’t think you could really get an exact idea of what AOAG is all about. Being the lyric fan that I am, I really dig the lyrics on Evanesce. Here’s an excerpt from “Beauty is in its embrace”, ‘inside display of broken wings, so smooth porcelain face cracks and flakes away, turns to pulse flying down telephone lines to the pictures on your wall burning on contact.’ I really like how the songs are longer; it makes the listener feel as if they are on a roller-coaster, going over each hill and around each turn. You would probably have to listen to the album to have an idea of what the hell I am talking about. Musically, the guitar work is really solid. The melodies are tied together nicely, fully utilizing the talent of each guitarist. The drums and bass are also just as solid, creating a heavy backdrop for the melodies to encompass. A good majority of the songs have build-ups, which create the roller-coaster effect I mentioned above Overall, this is a very good release. Any band that is releasing their debut album should be so lucky to have something that is as solid as this. favorite song: "beauty is in its embrace" rating: 84%/100% listen to anatomy of a ghost

Review: Scarlet - Something to Lust About

artist: scarlet album: something to lust about label: ferret music released: by: rob tatum Something to Lust About is a six song EP full of a fast, heavy, and angry barrage. Clocking in at only 12 minutes, it is a little short, but fans of heavy hardcore with a metal twist (think Every Time I Die without any pauses or anything) will be in love with this album. I really don’t like the lyrics, they aren’t anything special, and they are a little too sick and twisted at times for my liking. Musically, it’s energetic, in your face hardcore with some metal riffs thrown in here and there on the guitars. The vocals are very similar to Dan from Zao, but maybe without the growl. Basically, if you are into straight forward, kickass hardcore with some metal, then you will love this band. Probably something I’ll listen to when I am pissed off about something. It’s nothing fancy. Heavy and intense. If you are looking for melody, singing, or anything pretty, then Scarlet won’t be the band for you. favorite song: "carbon copy killer" rating: 74%/100% listen to scarlet

Review: Brandtson - Death and Taxes

artist: brandtson album: death and taxes label: deep elm records released: by: rob tatum Death and Taxes is the newest EP from Deep Elm favorites Brandtson. The band is a Christian emo/post-hardcore band hailing from Ohio. The band is known for their upbeat, catchy songs. This EP is typical of a Brandtson release. A couple songs about girls and a couple about life. From the song “On Three”, ‘jump, jump in with both feet forward, don't give in to all those voices that are telling you about past failures, killing you before you've had your chance to live.’ The band is similar to many Deep Elm bands or Vagrant bands. If you haven’t heard them, they are a decent listen from time to time. Death and Taxes is exactly what an emo fan wants in an EP. Six songs and about 20 minutes long. Each song is pretty solid. Good sing-alongs with catchy lyrics. favorite song: "circa 1991" rating: 81%/100% listen to brandtson

Review: Benton Falls - Guilt Beats Hate

artist: benton falls album: guilt beats hate label: deep elm records released: by: rob tatum Guilt to Hate is the second full length album from California’s Benton Falls. Straying away from the usual Deep Elm sound, Benton Falls is an energetic trio combining elements of punk and emo into melody. This release is 10 songs long and clocks about 40 minutes. The first thing I noticed about Benton Falls, is the uncanny resemblance of vocalist Michael Richardson’s voice to that of the singer from the Counting Crows. It is really kind of scary. Fortunately for Benton Falls though, he uses it for more than just singing. If I didn’t know this band was a trio, I would have a hard time believing it from the recording. There is a lot of intricate guitar work and the music is really melodic. The lyrics cover a range of topics, and are quite good. Here’s a piece from “Defining the Warm-up”, ‘I’m scratching my eyes out trying to find you. It’s tearing my heart apart just waiting here. I’m passing your house by with no answer.’ I must say that this is nice change of pace from the typical Deep Elm release that I have grown accustomed to. I can’t say that Guilt to Hate is really special, but it is a solid effort that shows some good songwriting skills and potential. favorite song: "bitter by choice" rating: 77%/100% listen to benton falls

Review: Armor for Sleep - Dream to Make Believe

artist: armor for sleep album: dream to make believe label: equal vision records released: 6/3/03 by: eduardo moutinho Armor for Sleep is one of those bands that leave you wondering “Why don’t people talk about these guys more often?” I absolutely love this band. They play some of the best sounding emo I’ve heard, and when I heard they came back together and signed a deal with Equal Vision Records, I was ecstatic. Their first release on Equal Vision, Dream to Make Believe, is out, and damn it, it’s about time these guys got some attention in the form of a review. These guys play pretty traditional-sounding emo. It’s a little heavier than some emo, but definitely not heavy enough to be called emocore. The music is simple and elegant. The guitars play clean melodies and slow-driving distorted segments, and the vocals are soothing and straightforward with lyrics following the frequently used mold of broken hearts and yearning for true love. While these things may not get you jumping for joy, they are what make Armor for Sleep so great. This band acts like a group of mages, casting a trance-inducing spell on all of its patrons. Listening to this record puts you in a lull, a good lull. You sit there, and all your worries float away, because the music does that to you. The love metaphors in the lyrics to “Slip Like Space” speak of launching into space, flying into a wormhole, and saying goodbye to your love before leaving. These metaphors plant vivid imagery in your head, helping solidify the spell. This kind of stuff is light, airy, and wonderful. Overall the record is solid, as the band re-recorded many of its songs from its self-titled EP and throws in some new ones. “Slip Like Space,” “Dream to Make Believe,” ”Wanderers Guild,” and “Raindrops” are some of my favorites. The recording quality of the CD is fantastic, as the levels are done just right. There’s a little more emphasis on the low-end sound, which really adds a nice edge to the music. The record sounds thick, which comes off pretty stellar. Like I said before, I don’t think this band receives the recognition it deserves. Hopefully, being on Equal Vision will help spread Armor for Sleep’s sound amongst the scene. People need to hear these guys. This release is a great first step for the newly reformed band, and I definitely have many of these songs on my current playlist because I enjoy them so much. favorite song: “wanderers guild” overall rating: 90%/100% listen to armor for sleep