August 2021 Feature Release – The Revolution Edition

So just like that we find that a new month is upon us which of course means that we’ll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month’s feature release for The Revolution has been nominated by myself. It's 2000's classic "10.21" debut album from New York metalcore outfit Skycamefalling which would sadly be their only full-length before they disbanded in 2003.

https://metal.academy/releases/1841

I didn’t have any prior experience with New York metalcore outfit Skycamefalling coming into this month’s feature release submission but have seen their 2000 debut album receiving consistently high praise from critics & fans over many years now so have been meaning to investigate it at some point. “10.21” is a lengthy undertaking clocking in at just over 63 minutes in duration however it never feels arduous & that run time is slightly extended by one of those needless four & a half minute periods of silence at the end of the tracklisting which only ends up resulting in a one-minute fading reprise of the closing number.

Skycamefalling’s sound is extremely well defined for a band that was only conducting their very first full-length recording effort & they’ve achieved a beautiful balance of consistency & creativity here to tell you the truth. They represent something much more than your generic metalcore fodder, despite the vocals of Christopher Tzompanakis sitting very much within the confines of the subgenre specifications. Christopher’s gravel-throated screams remind me quite a bit of Converge front man Jacob Bannon actually however the instrumentation is just as likely to draw from external influences as that of Jacob’s band. Unlike some of Converge’s more highly celebrated material though, “10.21” doesn’t offer the most imposing, urgent or extreme variety of metalcore you’re ever likely to hear. In fact, it’s pretty unintimidating is many respects & has chosen a very different tool set with which to slice its prey.

The production job of Jim Winters is a real highlight & on first listen you’d be forgiven for thinking that this album had only just hit the shelves last week. The guitar & bass tones are both warm & thick & maintain a suitable amount of heaviness without ever really feeling particularly metal. Sleepcamefalling actually sit much closer to the hardcore punk side of the metalcore equation than the metal one & that tone is well suited to the hardcore environment. Some of the riffs have a clear alternative rock edge to them too which is further complimented by the guitar tone & this results in even the more rocky & generic & sections presenting themselves in a lively & enthusiastic way.

As strong as the heavier tracks may be though, the most entertaining element of Skycamefalling’s sound is their use of post-hardcore experimentation with the majority of my album highlights aligning themselves with the band’s more ambitious undertakings & casting aside the heavy guitars & screamed vocals altogether. The opening intro piece is a great example as it sounds uncannily like something that Radiohead might have done. I always find myself waiting (even begging) for Thom Yorke’s nasal vocals to slither their way out of my speakers & into my eager ear cavities & it’s almost disappointing when one of the better heavy tracks “With Paper Wings” finally savages your expectations at its completion. Then you’ve got a lovely two-minute clean guitar driven post-rock instrumental that breaks things up nicely a few tracks into the album & the wonderfully epic ten-minute title track with its relaxed tribal rhythm & slowly building acoustic guitar work. You’ll rarely find a better example of the post-hardcore sound & it’s these elements along with the undeniable consistency of the tracklsting that sees my score sitting at such an impressive level.

Overall, “10.21” is fairly easy on the ears for a metalcore record. There are relatively few signs of the abrasive approach that the majority of their contemporaries pride themselves on however there’s simply not a requirement for it here as Skycamefalling have a much broader palate of influences to draw upon & have an acute understanding of the tools at their disposal & the dynamics required to keep the listener genuinely engaged. Throw in a tracklisting that’s completely free of blemishes & you get yourself a damn entertaining metalcore record that won’t disappoint its target audience.

For fans of Converge, Norma Jean & Cave In.

4/5

Andi, I'd suggest this'll be right up your alley..

Cheers for the rec, Daniel! Here's its summary:

This is one of those albums that essential for the hardcore/metalcore scene in the new millennium. The sole Skycamefalling album 10.21 and Converge's Jane Doe are two of the first metalcore albums with more poetic lyrics than just uniting a brotherhood of rebellion. 10.21 is also filled with driving guitar intensity, scream-along choruses, and even beautiful piano is some sections, the latter especially in the instrumental title epic. I still can't believe this talented group of musicians split up after one album, but hopefully there would be more after a few recent reunion shows in the 2010s. As much as I enjoy other metalcore bands, I already miss these guys and hope they'll come back again. A metalcore classic of sheer poetry!

5/5

A timely piece for sure. I find less in common between Skycamefalling with Converge and Dillinger, but rather something that is closer related to post-hardcore like Botch or Hopesfall. This record feels a lot simpler than those albums; the breakdowns are monstrous, the vocals are ruthless and quite impressive, and the main melodic counterpoint in the guitar is short, but effective. However, for a "hardcore" album, it feels very predictable after a while, and for an album with twelve tracks and running over an hour, you start picking up very quickly on the repetitive motifs. Near the end, the title track and the closer "An Ocean Apart" really started to drag on and become monotonous. The outro deserves special recognition for being only four-and-a-half minutes, but returns with about a minute-and-a-half to spare, just to continue playing the same riff that faded out the first part! Not a great way to close out an album that's for sure.

Regardless, this brand of metalcore is close to my alley as opposed to the technical parts of mathcore. But for me, something about this record feels less developed than the bands mentioned earlier. While not metal by any stretch, I hear a lot of similarities between this record and a local hardcore output, Alexisonfire, especially that 2002 self titled debut. I don't know; the quality is there I'll give it that, but I am not feeling this the same way that I did We Are The Romans or No Wings To Speak Of.

7/10