As I Lay Dying- An Ocean Between Us

As I Lay Dying is one of the iconic bands of the 2000's. A band that has been looked up to by a generation of youngsters for their blending of just about every heavier rock style one can think of. Blending the obvious base of metal and hardcore, with punk music influences, classic metal, noise, and on their latest release thrash metal.
Perhaps the most mature release from AILD to date. the record flows alot better than previous records, and you can def. tell the band is trying to establish a more iconic sound. I think the shear speed of this record is something to be looked at. It's fast past, knuckle driven metal songs, and it rocks like the Anthrax of a new generation. Forget bands like Avenged Sevefold, Bullet For My Valentine, and the Showdown; As I Lay Dying is a representation of this generations great metal.
Bottom line is this band is the epitamy of a group of extreme metal heads that jam with infleunces of so many. Yeah maybe they listened to At The gates too much, and maybe they played "Madhouse" on Guitar Hero too much, but this band is exciting to watch as they are perfecting the wheel in which their four fathers invinted.

FINAL GRADE: B+

As Cities Burn- Come Now Sleep

As Cities Burns debut record Son I Loved You at Your Darkers will go down as one of the best debut's in the post-hardcore history, and while Come Now Sleep is quite the progression, it might not be as much of a departure as most fans of the bands were expecting.
Since their last release, the band has underwent an extreme lineup change, including lead vocalist and bassist. Instead the bands backup singer has stepped up to the mic and showing of intense emotional singing which comes as a breath of fresh air amongst the auto tuned carbon copies of music today.
the writing on this record is superb, mixing fresh indie rock grooves, with incredible post-hardcore undertones, and even agressions on songs like "This is It, This is It."
Bottom line is there isnt much to say about this record other than it's a little more chill over all, very melodic, a little too shoegazy for me, but over all one of the best, and most thoughtful records of the year.

FINAL GRADE: A

Every Time I Die- The Big Dirty

Every Time I Die is one of the penacle bands of our decade as far as heavy music goes, and in my opinion, probably one of the most copied bands in the last two or three years. Hell, people don't even realize it, but Underoath almost carbon copied them on Define the Great Line.
There mix of noisy off beat time signatures, mixed with A-Tonal chords, and poppy sing songy hooks has been the bearer of poseur bad news since TDWP signed up for their MySpace profiles.
At any rate, ETID never fails to deliver, NEVER. The ultimate party-core band, ETID's ALWAYS witty lyrics are extremely aprarent on their latest release. Not really the bIGGEST progression from i've seen, but it is there. Since the last record, the band has become a little more serious with the tones of the record, but don't expect seriousness from this band for a second.
Musically, the days of the chorus are gone, replaced by the technical guitar work of their past releases.
This record reminds me mostly of Hot Damn but with the southern qualitites, and attitude of Gutter Phenomenon.
I think the best way to describe ETID is...

Hot Damn is like a high school kid crashing a college party
Gutter Phenomenon is the college party
and The Big Dirty is like a REALLY bad hang over, and the only remedy is more alcohol
Bottom line, great record from an iconic band.

FINAL GRADE: A-

The Devil Wears Prada- Plagues

Plagues is the Sophomore release from young metalcore, Rise records boom band The Devil Wears Prada. Again produced by Foundation Studios' Joey Sturgis, the bands latest release is both an improvement, but a stagnant release.
One of the biggest negatives i've had of this band, and frankly the only big beef i've ever had, is their lack of originality and honesty, and after this release I think the latter is simply due to the youth of this of this band. However, after some incredible exposure and one of the fastest growing fanbase for this style of music i've EVER seen, I think this band has made a great effort to establish their own sound.
Plagues, is chock full of noise, and deathcore, and strays away from typical constructive song structures that follow each other. Previously TDWP songs were constructed around the BIG mosh part, or the CATCHY singing part, with everything in between being simply unthoughtful space.
This record doesnt really follow typical structures and don't build around those aspects (while they still have aspects of both.)
Their aren't really aspects of technicality, but the structures themselves are very random which is good. However the real only criticism I have of this record, which comes as quite a bit of an INITIAL draw back, is at first listen the record is just kind of boring, and being that I review most of my records on those FIRST impressions, that is what I have come to see it as, a good, progressing, yet boring record. I do however think that if you give this multiple listens it has the potential to grow on you.

FINAL GRADE: B

Evergreen Terrace: Wolfbiker

After many years spent vollied around unhappy from label to label, melodic hardcore veterans Evergreen Terrace have finally found a fitting home on As I Lay Dying vocalist Tim Lambesis' record label, and Metal Blade sub-label high impact records. It is here they debut their latest efforts Wolfbiker.
Evergreen Terrace is one of those bands that has stayed honest over their careers, as the scene in which their music falls under, has ultimatly been growing around them. The band mixes hardcore, with melodic singing, brutal breakdowns, and even the occasional rock and roll and punk (which has actually become more prevelant in this record). This is the recipe for SO many bands that have come out in the last 5 years, however Evergreen Terrace has always been a pinacle of those bands, and one of in which are the perfectionists of the genre.
Wolfbiker is the same thing we've heard from ET over the span on their career, however more mature. Songs with lyrics of personal growth, and music that emphasizes on more of a rock and roll/punk rock feel overall as opposed to the ingredient of hardcore which overlayed their previous recordings. Instead those hardcore parts have been flip flopped, and if it were a ratio, it would be about 60/40 in the favor of rock parts.
The record couldn't be complete without two of ET's signatures, catchy melodic parts, and incredible breakdowns, which both hold their places on the record.
Finally, this band has gotten what they deserve, a label that takes good care of them, and in return they have given back a great record. The only negative is the album cover, which they have never been known for.
Pick this up.

FINAL GRADE: A

Still Remains- Serpants

Luckily for most of you reading this, I couldn't find a decent image of the cover of Still Remains sophomore release Serpants, due to the fact that it is absolutely horrible. Putting that aside, I really was anticipating this release. I'm a big fan of Still Remains, and upon first listen I was thinking this was going to be a decent release. Then after closer listens, I quickly understood, this was a sad exscuse for a radio friendly metalcore release.
I was quick to defend Still Remains upon the eve of the Metalcore boom as a legit band, however, after this record, I understand that they too have succumb to the cheesy bug. The record is saturated with catchy singing, and swift melodies, all of which do not seem as heart felt as their previous release.
The production of this record sounds good, but is not enough to save it.
It's a sad day, as metalcore has lost one of it's finest.

FINAL GRADE: D+

At the Throne of Judgment- Arcanum Order

Im sure everyone who has ever read my reviews on either a Rise Records band, or someone who has recorded with acclaimed producer Joey Sturgis knows how I feel about both. However, when listening to Rise Records legit Metal band At the Throne of Judgement, I myself have to take a step back on both stances.
ATTOJ's debut Arcanum Order makes me wonder how this band is even on Rise Records, rhis is a straight up LEGIT metal record, along the lines of At the Gates, and not the same way that As I Lay Dying seemed like At the Gates, instead, the way At the Gates sounds like At The Gates.
The musicianship on this record is incredible, espeacially considering this band is so young. It's a breathe of fresh air to hear such a record from such a young band.
I think one of my favorite parts of this release is the feel from the production aspect. For the first time, I really feel like producer Joey Sturgis hasn't over produced a record. Their are asthetics that are not only in the right places, but actually add to the record. For instances, on the track "The Mariners Cutlass" at the end of the track, you hear the sound of a tied up boat floating by a dock, the effects are truly cinematicin which I am a sucker for.
Im excited to see where this band is going, and hopefully it stays like this. This record is def. a contender for top records of the year, especially considering it's a debut.

FINAL GRADE: A+