Fordirelifesake/Deluge "split" CD
[Thorp]
Okay, I'll be brutally honest here: Fordirelifesake (from Michigan) starts this thing off with three tracks of metalcore, and they suck. Now, don't get me wrong, there's a lot of potential here, they've got some cool riffs and since all five members do vocals there are some nice things happening there, but the recording is inexcusably bad, the performance is sloppy as shit, and the output volume of the tracks is so damn quiet that I just don't get it. Stylistically they're sort of mixing everything... chugging rhythms, discordant and technical for the sake of being technical mess, melodic Shai Hulud types of dual guitar riffs, scathing screams and singing, melodic emo/indie chord progressions, and then some. But like I said, the sound is pretty flimsy, and the performance isn't nearly as tight as it needs to be. The vocals are too loud, the guitar tone is choppy, the mix is dirty and lacks clarity/cohesion... it's just an unbalanced mess, and the fact that they cram a million changes into every track isn't helping matters. It's fucked up too, because I could see this band absolutely blowing my mind if they would get their shit together. Their lyrics are personal and seem to deal largely with actually being in a band and touring and the emotions that go along with that to some degree. "And when we come around to some unfamiliar town, another daydream disaster drowns. Close my eyes, another night, I always thought I missed this. It won't be hard, forget to breathe, these cycles lead. And you forget. And we regret. I never meant to fall behind." Shit... maybe next time these kids will have practiced harder and nailed a good recording. But this? This isn't cutting it. Deluge (from The Netherlands) follows with three tracks of their own excellent brand of metalcore that's a bit more consistent and energetic, though they too have a shitty recording. Everything is flat and sort of muddy, with the plunky bass tone having the most definition, second only to the vocals. As far as their writing, they jump from chugging rhythms and tremolo picking to fast and melodic chord progressions and smooth clean breaks. Not bad at all. The songs are fairly long but fluid, the transitions are strong, and despite the poor sound I really enjoy what they're doing. Some of this material is a bit generic, but a lot of it's really damn creative as well. Lyrically things are personal and somewhat open, but I'm not really into their style or content. "But I could kill to watch you fear, You threw the door right in my face, Strikes the heart, put me in place, Possession given away, Feeds the head again, I stood above this world - again, And now the time passed by, I accepted this endless fight, And now the time passed by, I lay my head in feathers." I like the layout. Everything is made up of simple abstract shapes and colors (cream, brown, and maroon, with some gray and white text) and the type is consistent and clean throughout. It's nothing special but it looks good and gets things done. Both of these bands could be absolutely incredible under more suitable circumstances, but this release seems somehow rushed and/or premature. If these bands practice and work harder in the studio they'll both come back at some point and obliterate the competition, but this is a painful CD in that it harnesses so much potential that's just not being fully realized... 'cause god damn, these two bands could be amazing. Keep an eye out for these cats down the road. (5/10)
Running time - 22:18, Tracks: 6
[Notable tracks: Insecurities Securing Tragedy, Heal Broken Words]
Thorp Records - http://www.thorprecords.com

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