Hmmm, I don't know. This is partially tolerable metalcore with two vocalists whose combined styles range from burly screams and straightforward shouts/yells to singing and totally obnoxious shrieks. The thing is, there's some nu-metally stuff in here too. There are some overly groovy rhythms, a few more rhythmic vocal patterns, some choruses with heavy backdrops and singing vocals, etc. It' a very strange contrast to the discordant riffing and straightforward modern metalcore that they throw out there. It's a strange mix that often confuses more than anything. I can't say I'm really into it. Their bio says that they "deliver dynamic songs by blending the heaviness of metal with the intensity and energy of hardcore", but to be honest I can't see these guys really being into too much true hardcore, because there's not a lot of hardcore here at all, nor are the songs what I would call diverse. They all sound fairly similar to each other for the most part, with some minor exceptions. The production is definitely not up to par. A lot of the tones are off. I like that you can hear the bass (big time), and the drums sound pretty good, but the guitars sound fucked up, and the vocals feel separated from everything else. I don't know what it is about the guitars, they've just got this weird sort of grit hanging over them that pulls away the heaviness. Thankfully the bass is so thick it's just insane. It's not a horrible sounding record by any means, but there are enough minor flaws to build up and hold down the presentation of the songs. I really dislike the layout. I guess the cover art is supposed to be an uprooted and withered flower, but the illustration looks pretty bad, the color scheme is inconsistent and unappealing, the arrangement is haphazard and makes no sense, a lot of crappy abstract imagery and Photoshop effects have been used at times, etc. Most of the lyrics are in the center spread, but one song is on the back of the booklet, which looks silly, they should've found a way to fit them all inside. And why the hell do they censor the word "fuck" by writing "f*ck"!? Why? I don't understand that at all, but it reeks of cheesiness. The lyrics are also pretty awful if you ask me, and they make no sense at all. "Gonna paint you a motherfucking," "Fuck you 'cause I say I can," "There's no time to waste, Fuck it up not..." I mean, what the hell does any of that shit mean? No, I can't get into this. It's official. The more I listen to it the more it rubs me the wrong way. They have their moments, but this isn't for me.
[self-released]
Running time - 40:38, Tracks: 9
[Notable tracks: Albert's Honeymoon, Driveout]
Chapter Seven - http://www.chaptersevenonline.com
