So yesterday I downloaded this album, and I have been listening to it all day, and it has just blown me away. So I have decided to do a review of it here to get it out there a bit more (thanks to Bunta for encouraging me to go look them up
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Lyrics: 6
Vocals: 9
Instrumentals: 8
Replay Value: 7
Overall: 8
Summary:This album (All That Remains' most recent) has four songs that really jumped out at me, and they are nicely spread through the CD. The first two songs are absolutely fantastic, but then the album gets more grinding and less melodic for a couple songs. It then springs back into life for the fifth track (Whispers (I Hear You)) and remains incredibly solid right up to the end. Nothing on the CD is at all poor, but just a few of the songs seem to lose the essence that songs like "Not Alone" and "The Air That I Breathe" have. The only thing really lacking from the album is lyrical content, the lyrics are a far shot from bad, but only a couple of the songs have any really good lyrics.
I also downloaded their first album to have some comparison, and it seems that they have definitely pulled their act together since their first, as the instrumentals, and most notably their vocals have improved greatly. All That Remains' singer, Phil Labonte has is incredibly good at jumping very quickly from incredibly melodic and smooth tones to screaming better and with more of a range than most. This album shows some creative riffs, as well as some really good drumming, and while the drumming is clearly audible, it never overpowers the rest of the band, and fits in perfectly with the rest.
Key TracksThis Calling:The album comes out with a bang and this song comes screaming in (quite literally) and my first thoughts were, wow, this is a lot heavier than I expected. However, the song quickly progresses in to the chorus, which highlights some incredible double kicks by their drummer, and the vocals are just flat out stunning.
Not Alone:This song opens with a very interesting two guitar melody, one starts out and the other works around it and the two compliment each other really well. This is also one of the songs that I really enjoy the lyrics to:
Never has the blood in my veins
Flowed so fiercely as when I feel this around me
I am wholeWhispers (I Hear You):The lyrics and vocals are what really make this song, as well as some sweet riffs.
Whispers (I hear you)
Poison (flows in me)
Lost inside of you, I'm not free of you
Break my bonds again
The Air That I Breathe:Coming as the third last track on this record is "The Air That I Breathe". This song strong points are definitely it's instrumentals. It starts out with a cool guitar riff over rolling snare from the drummer, which is repeated throughout the song. The lyrics are also really good, I would probably say this is the best song of the entire album.
I am a mortal man
But I'm not fallen
I'm not broken
I am a mortal man But I'll
Hold tight to my beliefsI would say this album is absolutely awesome! Buy it, torrent it, download all the songs one at a time, but GET YOUR PAWS ON THIS!
Recommended for sure!
