7 Angels 7 Plagues - Jhazmyne's Lullaby (2001)^{Release ID: 3086}

I have given this one a couple of spins over the past few weeks and whilst I could not say that it is as a direct result of this release, I did notice how much more accommodating I have become of these metalcore releases nowadays. I think there is something about intelligence in most of the music I enjoy nowadays and this possesses intelligence no small quantity, and given that hardcore punk is often thought of as being such a simple style of music this perhaps seems like an OTT statement to some degree. 7 Angels 7 Plagues go beyond any basic template though. The death metal chug on ‘Someday’ being one such example of this more exploratory attribute that the band can muster without making it sound intrusive, or just a selection of ideas thrown together. At the same time the melodic elements of the album seem to possess an almost Deftones, nu-metal quality to them which only manages to further my enjoyment of the album.

I am on the fence about the vocals if I am honest. They grate, yet at the same time I have to agree that they sort of fit perfectly. As a contrast to some of the post-metal moments or just as a more stark opposing force to the great use of melody in general, it is hard to argue that they are not performed in an interesting way. I am not offended by the inclusion of the interludes, but I could quite easily get through the album without them; they most certainly are the weaker tracks overall from the listing. For a band that seemed to be capable of filling the space around them well enough with sound that was intriguing and thoughtful it does strike me as odd that they have included these “palate-cleansers” at all. When you can write the droning chaos present on tracks like ‘Away with Words’ and accompany them to a backdrop of near cinematic percussion, you don’t need to provide fiddling acoustic numbers to prove anything really.

The mood for this current listen through this album tonight is perfect. After a long day with lots of elements jostling for possession of my time, it is cathartic to listen to an album of a similar pulsing multitude of parts and hear them all so well balanced and clearly given space around each other. Perhaps other than the vocals, there is little in the way of any one element dominating proceedings. Overall it feels more of busy as opposed to a heavy record, and I say that without aiming it as a criticism. It does settle into some weighty rhythms I concede but this is not my overarching takeaway from the listening experience. I have a sense that as I listen to more early metalcore, I may get to understand better the importance of this record in terms of it genre developing credentials but at this early stage of my understanding of these things, I can only rate this record on individual merit.

I could never have picked a more perfect time to review this masterpiece than now. As of doing that, it is the year of its 25th anniversary, and it's July 7. Get it? 7 7! Not my best joke but it sure beats a certain brainrot meme. Anyway, the sole album by 7 Angels 7 Plagues, Jhazmyne's Lullaby made a significant impact on the metalcore scene that would help other bands of the genre build their sound, including two of the bands the members would go on to form and join; Misery Signals and Dead to Fall.

Metalcore is often about blending beauty with brutality, and the guitarists can do that with their melodies and chords. The breakdowns are all wonderful and fresh, and that alone should've given this short-lived band more credit as metal/hardcore forerunners.

Some tracks re-recorded from the Until the Day Breathes and the Shadows Flee demo EP, including the opening track "A Farewell to a Perfect Score". The drums and riffing start off simple before going reckless. The melodies really bring together beauty and brutality. The heaviness doesn't stop until at the end with a soft clean break from the intensity that continues in the next track. That next track being "Someday". And further into "The Commentator’s Despair" which is the heaviest here with barely any melody.

"The Afternoon" is nothing but a short soft acoustic interlude. I used to not care for those kinds of tracks, but then I realized how essential they are in metalcore releases, maybe even deathcore bands like All Shall Perish. A nice break from the action is needed, so the occasional clean interlude can help with that. "Away with Words" has a brilliant intro of a repeated piano melody with the rest of the instrumentation rising and leading into more of those screamed vocals. Up next, "Dandelion" has more of that sick drumming. Not much has changed from its EP version compared to the other re-recorded tracks, but I wouldn't make any changes.

"Arcadia Falls" cranks up the bass and drums, along with occasional gang vocals. I have mentioned that there are wonderful breakdowns in this album, but wait until the end to hear the most crushing one here. It segues to one more re-recorded track, "Silent Deaths, Crowded Lives". It's highlights like this one that make me wish they were still active. The title track is a sweet piano outro. It's so expressive, like the soundtrack to looking back at your childhood. I may actually consider that another bold highlight!

It's so unbelievable how the lone album from a short-lived band would be so influential to other bands and listeners (including myself), past and present. Another brilliant highlight in earlier metalcore and one I would recommend for any fan of the genre. Absolutely groundbreaking!

Favorites: "A Farewell to a Perfect Score", "The Commentator's Despair", "Away with Words", "Silent Deaths, Crowded Lives", "Jhazmyne's Lullaby"