Shadowdoom9 (Andi)'s Reviews

Trail of Tears is a Norwegian band known for their original extreme gothic metal sound. They were also known for some turbulence in the lineup, facing many different changes. Just before the release of their previous album Existentia, all the members except founding harsh vocalist Ronny Thorsen left the band. The fate of the band was left uncertain until a few months later when several new members joined in, along with female vocalist Cathrine Paulsen, who was in their 2002 album A New Dimension of Might. You might know a few of the other vocalists from other bands; Helena Iren Michaelsen in Sahara Dust (pre-Epica), Kjetil Nordhus (male vocalist) in Green Carnation, and Emmanuelle Zoldan and Ailyn in Sirenia. But the quick-paced operatic vocals of Paulsen are an essential part of one of the finest extreme gothic metal albums around!

Trail of Tears was known as one of the earlier developing bands of Norwegian gothic metal alongside The Sins of Thy Beloved and Tristania. Unlike the former that split up after two albums and the latter that took on a less extreme sound, Trail of Tears started mixing the genre with melodic death metal in the second half of the 2000s, with death growls provided as usual by Thorsen. However, there's more female singing than death growling that causes this band to be like a darker Epica. With all that said, the band is up to exploring different directions for something so special and unique.

I love opener "The Feverish Alliance" with exemplifies this gothic/symphonic death metal sound, complete with choirs. "Once Kissed by the Serpent (Twice Bitten by Truth)" has more of this symphonic direction of destruction. The female vocals appear a little more that seem to overpower the death growls/screams that appear in the verses. Switching to softer gears is the title track, especially in ethereal sections of female vocals and violin. It really shows the many twists Paulsen can pull without having to come up for air. You can say the same thing about Thorsen's dark growling intensity that fit well with the guitars and drums. Now that's true Norwegian extreme gothic metal! "Triumphant Gleam" has some epic symphonics that might've planted the seed for Lorna Shore's symphonic aspect.

More of the melodic/harsh blend can be found "In the Valley of Ashes". Then "A Storm at Will" appears right in the middle of the album as a Nightwish-esque ballad. Paulsen's delightful vocals shine over symphonic and background choirs. Although I've lost interest in the ethereal symphonic metal of Nightwish, this song makes a classic highlight with its spiritual lyrics, "Leave your broken dreams, alone in despair, stay in that place, and I will be here". After that, "Take Aim. Reclaim. Prevail" has strong symphonics and vocals from both Paulsen and Thorsen with dark lyrics. "The Desperation Corridors" reminds me of Amaranthe if there were symphonics instead of electronics.

"Farewell to Sanity" is another one of my favorite songs here, beginning like a funeral dirge before switching to the usual heaviness and vocal alternations. Shining high is the instrumentation, especially the guitars over the percussion. And there's more of the harsh lyrics. Then "Dead End Gaze" has the kind of metal the heavier fans find listenable. Closing with another favorite, "Faith Comes Knocking" has amazing symphonics and eerie wickedness. There's also a great bonus track, "Onward March the Merciless".

Ronny Thorsen and co. have a masterpiece that I'm glad to have revisited after a few years. This is true extreme gothic metal! The dark lyrics and deathly growls are in perfect blend with the epic music and operatic female vocals, all in grand value. Bloodstained Endurance really deserves profuse attention!

Favorites: "The Feverish Alliance", "Bloodstained Endurance", "Triumphant Gleam", "A Storm at Will", "Farewell to Sanity", "Faith Comes Knocking"

I can find brilliance in many places. Some filled with upbeat energy, others filled with downbeat despair. Doom metal/death-doom has developed in several countries like Sweden, the UK, and the US. Fans of the genre can handle the sadness and mortality detailed in the songs. Death-doom is considered quite unique for mixing the wickedness of the former genre with the melancholy of the latter. One of those bands was Katatonia at that time, but I gave up on listening to that band and much of The Fallen genres because I had enough of the depressiveness. I might just make a comeback though, with the spin-off band of Jonas Renkse and Fred Norrman, October Tide!

This album can be considered by many to be a bridge between the first two Katatonia albums, though the album was released two years after it was recorded, with Brave Murder Day released in the middle year. With this October Tide album encounter, the perfection of those heavy guitars and atmospheric keyboards from those Katatonia albums re-entered my mind, along with the more deathly elements. Renkse performs his final growled vocals before health issues restricted him to only clean singing in subsequent Katatonia albums. With those vocals perfectly fitting the melodic atmosphere, it made me regret my move away from the earlier albums of his main band. The guitars sound heavy while staying spacey and aren't as meandering as Opeth, which is why that band became another one I lost interest in just recently (SAD).

Opening the album is the grand "12 Days of Rain" with perhaps one of the strongest slow doomy riffs ever. The verses have a similar vibe to early 90s Paradise Lost, with Renkse's vocals unleashed. Keeping that stage set is "Ephemeral".

Same with "All Painted Cold" which has some Sabbath/Maiden-like mid-tempo heavy metal in the opening riffing before slowing down as expected in this album. You can almost think of this like In Flames at the time, but slower. When "Sightless" appears, you can imagine 80s Queensryche blended together with Edge of Sanity, sounding graceful in this sea of brutal somberness.

There's more of the slow decay in "Losing Tomorrow". It is more of a short ambient gothic rock track with a bit of Renkse's clean singing that would replace his growls as his main vocal style in subsequent albums. That song is this album's "Day"! Then "Blue Gallery" takes on a faster pace, though it's not without its lyrics of suicidal lamentations. "Infinite Submission" will keep you aware in attention as the melodies play while Renkse performs his last ever growls before they crumble away. With beautiful ambience, you might think there should be something like an ambient score. One final riff ends the album, sounding huge yet with a simple chord that carries you to the finish line.

Rain Without End is one of the best early Swedish death-doom albums I've heard in a long time. Anyone looking for melodic doom metal with deathly riffs and growls have come to the right place. Sweden is a country with one of the most diverse metal scenes around, with lots of different sounds like the melodic black/death of Dissection. The earliest releases of some genres are ones that really embrace them and prove to be prime examples of their respective scenes. This brand of death-doom is the right kind of doom I need, never as droning as funeral doom and never as old-school as traditional doom. So come one come all to the bleak Swedish death-doom realms. Rain Without End shall be your starting point!

Favorites: "12 Days of Rain", "All Painted Cold", "Sightless", "Infinite Submission"

The tough thing about checking out some demo EPs from bands, including splits, is that you end up thinking "What the f*** happened there?!" and then you realized, "Oh this is just a demo" while irritated about a band you love sounding this sh*tty. In saying that, Parkway Drive would definitely improve in a short matter of time and start making killer albums that cement them as one of my favorite metalcore bands.

The only track that closely matches their later better quality is "Hollow Man", which would be re-vamped in their 3rd album Deep Blue with more anger and improved production. A couple other tracks, each from one of two other bands in the split, Think Straight and Shoot to Kill, are also quite solid. Think Straight's "Make a Move" is a full-on blast of melodic death metal/metalcore that I can definitely rock out to as much as Parkway Drive's material. Shoot to Kill's "D.J.C." is the 5-minute closing epic of the entire EP, and there's even a bit of influence that I can hear from This Day Forward at that time.

But other than those 3 tracks, this split EP has only as much quality as the only images of its cover that can be found on the internet. Nonetheless, I'm glad to let out my thoughts about the EP here on this site, so thanks Ben for adding it. All I'm gonna say is, Parkway Drive's official discography is so much f***ing better....

Favorites (only one song per band): "Hollow Man", "Make a Move", "D.J.C."

Despite being a fan of an industrial metal and enjoying a few Ministry albums, I still prefer the genre when it's more experimental or, in some cases, cyber. With that said, I've realized that I have not yet took on what is considered one of the most essential albums in all of industrial metal, Ministry's Psalm 69. It is the final piece of the band's first industrial metal trilogy puzzle, so let's get right on it!

Psalm 69 is a step up from both of the band's previous two albums. It carries on the industrial metal direction that the duo of The Land of Rape and Honey and The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste kick-started. The thrashy instrumentation in Psalm 69 is something to enjoy, though it wouldn't make its comeback until Houses of the Molé which is one other great album but not as full-form as this one. The album, officially titled ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ, is pretty d*mn excellent. Following the band's successful live album In Case You Didn't Feel like Showing Up, Al Jourgensen was determined to make an album so explosive yet appealing to the mainstream.

Opening things up in madness is "N.W.O." It starts with a sample of a siren alarm over the first riff, and the band set up the stage. "Just One Fix" is a pretty great song, especially during that hard-hitting breakdown over the 3-minute mark. It really can be worth "driving down the highway at night". However, there might be something missing, I don't know. Vocalist Al Jourgensen can do sinister laughing. This industrial rock/metal tune can also work well for fighting a zombie apocalypse, or at least that's what it sounds like. The f***ing world needs to be fixed, doesn't it? Also it reminds me of Rammstein's "Du Hast". Co-written by Chris Connelly, "TV II" shreds through pure anger. And holy f***, those are some blazing black metal-level blast-beats there!

"Hero" hops along with some thrashy riffing and D-beat drums. While not really the best here, this is one that can get you headbanging or at least head-nodding. Still this track is quite fun and it has a great midsection solo. The crazy highlight "Jesus Built My Hotrod" I'm already familiar with via the Lamb of God/Burn the Priest cover. The song has an interesting narrative and fun lyrics, sung by the Butthole Surfers' Gibby Haynes. Another favorite here, "Scarecrow" is an 8-minute slow industrial metal epic with samples from the 1973 film of the same title. There are some harmonic guitars and a bit of a gothic-ish vibe. A pleasant slow trip through hell-fueled harmonies.

The title track has the best of the band's heavy side. However, what kills the song's highlight status are those f***ing opening samples! As much as I find the background choir epic, the repeated sample of a child saying "I think that my heart has been touched by Christ" is quite annoying, going on for the first minute and a half. But at least the mind-blowing moshpit-inducing drumming makes up for that. And of course, samples are still a nice essential touch in industrial metal. "Corrosion" is much more of a plain industrial song with a dance-y beat. It's not weak at all, sounding quite interesting as a different track towards the end of the album. "Grace" is the perfect ending here. While the more industrial sound is still on, samples of "armageddon, doomsday, apocalypse" can be heard before some crushing harmonies to wrap things up.

The band started falling off a bit in creativity a few years after this album was released, when Jourgensen was arrested for drug possession and subsequently moved away from drugs and alcohol for some time. However, their later material would still please some fans while not reaching the f***ing heights of the first industrial metal trilogy. A few might argue about the EBM Twitch or even the synthpop With Sympathy being the band's breakthrough in the commercial perspective, but Psalm 69 is considered by many to stand as the true pinnacle of the Ministry's tenure. H*ll, there is more sludgy heaviness than there is pretty melody, and that was the band's right move!

Favorites: "Just One Fix", "TV II", "Jesus Built My Hotrod", "Scarecrow", "Grace"

Power metal was my favorite genre when I was a young teen. I even liked the more cheesy and uplifting kind. But of course, my taste changed into heavier and more serious modern metal genres. I had a couple-year attempt in reviving my interest in power metal that ultimately fell apart. Nonetheless, I'm sometimes up to making an occasional revisit to one of the power metal bands I used to like, and one cool band honoring the uplifting kind is Freedom Call!

Released around the band's 25th anniversary, The M.E.T.A.L. Fest is a live CD/Blu-ray recording of two live shows from the prior year, the first one at the titular Metalfest in the Czech Republic and the second one at Regensburg’s Eventhall in Germany. Get ready for a smooth ride of 14 speedy anthems with happy melody and magical choruses...

But before this live presentation, we have a brand-new studio track from the band in honor of the festival, the title track of this release! It's quite smooth with infectious vocal delivery from frontman Chris Bay. And I'm not ashamed to admit that this is the ultimate highlight of the entire album! The main live part of the release begins with an "Intro" to get you pumped up as the crowd chants "M! E! T-A-L!" Then comes the strong opener of the show, "Union of the Strong". Fast bass and drums and melodic guitars speed along in catchy verses and anthemic choruses. As you listen to the song, you can already the band rising to the top of glory. Great hooks and high-level guitars makes the song one of the best of the band. There's some more true glory in "Tears of Babylon", with galloping background melody from background horns like a medieval fanfare. The memorability of the album Eternity can be heard even before we can hear songs from that album. "Spirit of Daedalus'' has some excellent power metal that isn't too far off from earlier legends like Gamma Ray and Edguy, even adding some heavier guitar riffing to the melodic music. "Sail Away" has more of the band's signature sound within the same mid-tempo marching tempo as "Tears of Babylon", while having effective guitar melody and background choir.

Get ready for some action-packed adventure in what's pretty much this release's epic "Metal Invasion", that can be as kick-A as the epics from the band's first two albums. There's lots of speedy riffing and drums that start after a massive choral intro, a glorious Blind Guardian-like combination! The title track of Freedom Call's latest studio album M.E.T.A.L. honors this classic melodic side of heavy metal with lyrics centered around the genre, the way HammerFall would do it. With such addictive honesty in these lyrics, you know how much power metal joy you're getting. This German band can make a somewhat Christian power metal anthem with ''111 - The Number of the Angels''. You'll be happy to hear such optimistic melody, as the rhythms and vocals keep you in attention. "Ace of the Unicorn" is a strange as sh*t title, and the same can be said for the song itself that sounds way too sweet compared to the other songs in both the studio album and its live release, especially in the chorus. The immortal "theme song" for the band, "Freedom Call" makes up for that a lot as a brilliant power metal anthem, beginning with a rising alternating melody between the guitars and the audience.

The heavy yet uplifting power metal tune "Power & Glory" has perky bagpipe that once again makes the song too happy and worth skipping. The glorious next track "Metal is for Everyone" has most of the more melodic metal genres formed into one. There's a bit of crushing riffing, but the catchy chorus shines among it all. "Warriors" shows Chris Bay's melody in both the vocals and guitars with not much technical. It is an upbeat rock-on track plays out quite as well as Edguy and Stratovarius along with the catchier hits from the band's first two albums. Now "Far Away" I have mixed feelings for. It throws back to the positivity of Crystal Empire, a little too much with the overwhelming bagpipes, but some sections are still well-done. One final standout "Land of Light" can be considered the "Final Countdown" for this band, with the mid-tempo mix of horns and guitar and the fact that it's the band's signature song. Then the "Outro" ends the adventure, with a reprise to the "Intro" and the opening melody of "Spirit of Daedalus''.

Freedom Call can make anyone smile with their happy good-mood power metal sound, whether in a small concert or big festival. Although this live release is a pretty great throwback to when I enjoyed power metal so much, I think replacing a few happy-joy-joy songs with ones from Stairway to Fairyland and The Circle of Life is all I wish for....

Favorites (one per album including new studio track): "The M.E.T.A.L. Fest", "Union of the Strong", "Tears of Babylon", "Metal Invasion", "M.E.T.A.L.", "Freedom Call", "Power & Glory", "Metal is for Everyone", "Far Away"

Well I decided to give some listening and a review to Unbroken's debut Ritual, and it's just not meant for my ears. It sounds too much like they tried to combine the hardcore of Strife at the time with the thrash of Anthrax and the in-between of Suicidal Tendencies, with less metal emphasis, in more of a thrashy hardcore mix than metalcore, close to Neurosis' first two albums. "Zero Hour" is a decent metallic standout, but that's pretty much it. I like their second album Life Love Regret far more than this hardcore sh*t....

Favorites (only one I decently like): "Zero Hour"

As I continue to test out my strength in The Pit, I decided to check out another Testament album, their latest one, at least until their next album that will possibly continue the 4-year intervals between releases. The quality is still in a decent strong level as in the other Testament album I've review, The Formation of Damnation. There are quite some good things to enjoy in album #13, Titans of Creation...

Adding to the "13" superstition, the album was released during the dark terrors of COVID, and in the weeks surrounding the album's release, vocalist Chuck Billy and bassist Steve Di Giorgio were both tested positive for the virus. Fortunately, they recovered. And the positive reception this 12-track album claimed is a good light in the darkness.

Opening up "Children of the Next Level" is what to expect in this awesome song and the rest of the album, thrash aggression with some melody. Kicking up the heavy drums is "WWIII". What's also interesting in that song in the main riff. "Dream Deceiver" has a catchy chorus. Moving forward, "Night of the Witch" displays a bit of rhythm guitarist Eric Peterson's Ihsahn-like screamed vocals that he adopted from his other band Dragonlord.

Opening the next composition "City of Angels" is some prominent thick bass that thrashes along with the rhythm guitar. Then we get ahead to "Ishtar’s Gate", which has an Egyptian-like vibe in the music. Next tune "Symptoms" has some cool riffing melody in the intro, which then leads to heavier patterns. While they're worth moshing along to, they're a little too predictable and at fault. "False Prophet" is where is the earlier glory of this album seems to be fading out. The heaviness is still around, but at that point, it's getting more predictable and listeners would want something to really spice it up.

"The Healers" returns to the death/thrash glory that has swept the American nation in the late 80s, even having unexpected tremolos. "Code of Hammurabi" with more of the prominent bass playing a riff that is then played by the guitars, lead straight into typical thrash. The album's last full song, "Curse of Osiris" is filled with the pure heaviness of thrash that shall ignite speedy mosh-pits. You can't forget the black metal-ish parts with more of Peterson's vocals. "Catacombs" is an OK sign-off outro.

In the chaos of a deadly disease, Titans of Creation proves that no matter how old the members are, they're as strong as they were when they were young. For 4 decades, one of the most well-known American thrash bands besides the Big 4 continue their roots and reinvent themselves with more of the heavy riff complexity from the guitar duo of Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick. The drumming by Gene Hoglan has more progressive diversity. Listeners might argue that this album is twice as long as a thrash release should be, with only the singles being good. I still find good unique work in a few other songs, not just the singles, though some improvement could've been in order....

Favorites: "Children of the Next Level", "WWIII", "Night of the Witch", "City of Angels", "The Healers", "Curse of Osiris"

There was one song from this album that I discovered via a YouTube ad that made me up to checking out this band's material, which we'll get to later in the review. I decided to check out their debut album Vastaus before getting to this album. It was decently good, but there were a few odd aspects, to me anyway, one of them being Finnish lyrics. After that, I knew I would have to go their second album that includes the main reason for my discovery of this band. It was only A MATTER OF TIME...

Alase is a Finnish post-/progressive metal band. They blend different styles in atmospheric melody, even beyond what's conventional in metal. A Matter of Time is a pretty good 9-song journey, and the English lyrics make things more understandable.

First song "Understanding the Waves" starts in soft light before the heavy darkness. The music and vocals seem to connect differently from one another. "Clear Sky is Not a Curse" has slow atmosphere despite its short length. The clean leads in the middle have good weight. There are nice harmonic vocals, but again, it's not music-connected. "Fate's Intervention" is heavier with harsh vocals, almost like they're blending Katatonia's recent material with Brave Murder Day. They shine against those parallel cleans.

"Unburden" has better consistency, but it seems like any excitement is out of reach. The atmosphere really could've had a greater approach. However, "Life Ahead" has a nice developing charm. "The Source" is the song that made me up to checking out this band. Atmospheric bass and vocals lead to a well-done blend of heavy and ethereal.

"Out of Place" takes on a darker tone. Sadly, the direction is, like the title suggests, out of place. Some sections can be a bit confusing. "Feeling Free" is short with consistent melody. Despite being a soft ballad, it's quite favorable. "Ajan Kysymys" is a heavier closing track. It's basically the album's title track as it's the title in Finnish. Bass, leads, and vocals are all in a nice blend. It's a very cohesive song and my second favorite here behind "The Source".

All in all, A Matter of Time is good but in need of some improvement. This atmospheric progressive metal sound is quite nice. While the vocals have diverse variety, they should've connected better with the music. No matter the band's intentions, anyone should experience this ethereal melody....

Favorites: "Fate's Intervention", "The Source", "Feeling Free", "Ajan Kysymys"

Alase is a practically unknown yet underrated band. They had released a string of singles with drummer Janne Kusmin before he left to continue his focus on Kalmah. Taking his place was Toni Paananen, and then the time came for the band to make their debut album...

This band is quite atmospheric, the same kind of atmosphere you would find in The Ocean and 21st century Katatonia. Alase cooked up a cauldron in Vastaus (Answer) that isn't about disharmonic cacophony, but instead, smooth post-progressive metal atmosphere. The vocals that alternate between clean and harsh perform mostly Finnish lyrics, which doesn't let me enjoy the album as much as I should, but it still comes out decently well.

The title track is a short slow intro. "Näkyvä" (Visible) is the first full song, and it has dark melancholy mixed with dreamy air to make a unique blend. "Binary Stars" is the only song in the album to have English lyrics. With that and its blend of beauty and heaviness, it's a well-done highlight.

The ethereal "Osa Minua" (Part of Me) is not something to dance to in a party. It's worth listening to while floating in your stream of consciousness. A mentionable track to start the second side is "Vaienneet" (Silenced). It's a soft intermission of beautiful atmosphere. It offers all that you need, but there's not much to say about it.

Harsh vocals can be heard greatly in "Vapaaksi Merkitty" (Marked as Free) (why am I visualizing a mermaid kid cat?) push things along like a tidal wave. That's probably the heaviest song in the album! What I enjoy is "Riisuttu" (Stripped) which, despite its title, builds up slowly high, approaching the album's climax. "Haukka" (Hawk) ends the album with a solid blend of the ethereal space of Hawkwind and the metal serenity of 2000s Amorphis.

Vastaus starts the band off in a somewhat good level, but I feel there could've been a lot more improvement, along with more English lyrics. The band would achieve that potential with another release to follow....

Favorites: "Binary Stars", "Vaienneet", "Riisuttu", "Haukka"

If you thought Chapter I was bizarre and disturbing, let me tell you, there's more of that in Chapter II. Electronic rhythms come in to guide you through a surreal yet pleasant nightmare. This unique motive of adding true crime lyrics to gothic-ish industrial rock/metal I have more leeway towards than I would have when I was younger.

"Jim Jones" is based on the Jonestown Massacre, a mass murder-suicide in which approximately 909 people died, a 3rd of that amount being children, and most of them drank Flavor Aid cyanide. Jim Jones was the cult leader, and he shot himself in the head. The song is darker than even the more extreme metal genres, and yet I'm intrigued. Just remember, life is too precious to be laid down.

"Tyler Hadley" is one of the most disturbing songs I heard in industrial metal, and metal in general. An industrial metal gone trap song about a teen who bludgeoned his parents to death with a hammer, hid the bodies in the closet, and threw a party, then he was arrested the next day and sentenced to life in prison. The song is pretty great though. "You should feel lucky, why don't you feel lucky?" Finally, the emotional "Katherine Knight" has a bit of a Lady Gaga-like pop vibe. It's based on a woman who murdered her husband and was intending to make herself and her children cannibals to that man. So crazy, yet the song mesmerizes me.

Innovative melody is twisted with the darkest real-life stories to ever occur, thanks to Skynd and the ongoing industrial party they've been having. It's an amazing experience that's filled with horror while quite inspiring!

Favorites: "Jim Jones", "Katherine Knight"

This here is gonna be a two-part review as I explore one of the darkest non-extreme metal bands I've heard in my life, the first part being their first EP. Skynd is known for basing their songs on true crime, including notable real-life deaths and murders. The creepiness may not be for the faint of heart, but it works well for the experienced...

"Elisa Lam" is based on a college student whose body was mysteriously found in a cistern at the Cecil Hotel. It's a little too deranged for me to love, but still quite solid. "Gary Heidnik" is based on a murderer who brutally tortured and/or killed several women and hid them in a chamber under his basement. The song features Jonathan Davis of Korn, and has more of an electro-industrial sound with a bit of pop and trap. With that said, I like it!

The clever "Richard Ramirez" is my favorite of this EP. Skynd herself sings more naturally here, and it's quite fantastic, though I'm OK with the strange effects. Richard Ramirez was another serial killer, known as the Night Stalker.

So far the music is so disturbing, and while I do enjoy it, I can understand why other people don't. To be continued in Chapter II....

Favorites: "Gary Heidnik", "Richard Ramirez"

Lard's final release before a 20-year hiatus is, similarly to The Power of Lard, a 3-track EP with each track having a different style. They're a few outtakes from their two full-length albums. Is this EP worth closing the initial part of the career? Well...

The 7-minute title track is, in a word, HILARIOUS. Let me tell you, this is the band's attempt to parody the cheesy classic 70s rock of Aerosmith and AC/DC. The lyrics are quite ridiculous, especially the chorus that keeps declaring that this kind of sound must die. Biafra seems to do a good job impersonating Axl Rose of Guns n' Roses. You never usually hear something both headbanging and hilarious at the same time, and people say only Spinal Tap could do something like that. It's definitely a break from the punky attitude of bands like Dead Kennedys (Jello Biafra's former band). It's just so d*mn funny. I'm not sure what I was thinking adding that song to the next Sphere playlist.

The next track "Volcanus 2000 (We Wipe the World)" has the band's usual industrial rock/metal first introduced in the 1988 Ministry album, tackling those who want to imitate Nine Inch Nails. There are some people who think this kind of sound is stinky garbage, but if you get more to the sound like I am, you might some decent enjoyment. "Ballad of Marshall Ledbetter" stomps with the industrial metal sound once more.

So we have one track parodying 70s rock, and two industrial rock/metal songs. All I can say is, Lard could've had a much better way than this EP to sign off.....

Favorites: all tracks, though the title track isn't too well-fitting

Holy sh*t, I did not expect Sick Puppies to appear on this site! Then again, I shouldn't be too surprised. They do have some alternative metal going on in their sound, and I reviewed an album by another nu metal gone alternative rock band, Lostprophets. Anyway, I've seen the name of this band Sick Puppies floating around in different sites and thought it's about time to welcome myself to the world of this band's material...

The band entered the scene with their first EP Dog's Breakfast, two years before their debut album was produced and released. The album sounds promising despite the inexperienced vocals, poor production, and the goofy cover art of the band members naked in cloning tubes.

The title track already unleashes the album's nu metal style as the band attacks corporations that rule the world in the lyrics. Sadly, the song doesn't hold up high due to its weak dissonance. One of the singles "Rock Kids" is better though, despite some edgier lyrics rapped by Shim Moore's vocals that seem to have puberty after-effect. "Duck Bite" is OK, but not notable. "Every Day" is a great single. Nice intro, nice chorus!

Then we switch a folky ballad in "Time Will Pass". Shim's vocals shine here, but the song itself is a bit boring. The true standout here is the anthemic "Nothing Really Matters". The tone is more progressive with rhythms to keep you interested, as the fast verses and slow choruses make a great balance. Next up, "Open the Door" starts with an odd knock-knock joke: "Knock knock." "Who's there?" "Maks." "Maks who?" "MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, OPEN THE DOOR!" The instrumentation is really good, along with the vocal distortion. "Holding Out" sounds awful in the verses, but the chorus is beautiful. "Something Different" is pretty cool with nice variation.

"Do You Know" has some soft folky verses, but the choruses have some great explosive rock. "Me Much Plenty" seems to drop in quality, almost more like a demo than a full-fledged track. What should've been the closing track, "The Way" is a beautiful acoustic ballad, despite the inexperienced vocals. A radio edit of "Rock Kids" appears, but all they did was shorten the track which is not much to change there. "Spanky & Speedy" is a forgettable hidden track, simply just short lame comedic punk.

All in all, Welcome to the Real World is a pretty good official start to the band's career. The band would hit higher levels of fame with their next album Dressed Up as Life, but the nu metal sound of their debut should please some fans of the genre. A whole new world awaited this trio of Rock Kids....

Favorites: "Rock Kids", "Every Day", "Nothing Really Matters", "Open the Door", "Something Different", "Do You Know", "The Way"

Seeing a review for this album appear on this site made me remember this band that has split up and been "cancelled" due to crimes committed by one of the band's founding members. In my younger times when I was following my brother's alt-rock/metal footsteps in music before switching to "real" metal, one of those bands was Lostprophets. I listened to a few songs; one that my brother likes, one in which I've seen its music video on TV, and one more on my own. I thought that band was OK. However, just a few months after I first listened to that band, their lead singer Ian Watkins was arrested for various sexual offenses against children and even an animal! F***ing sick (as in disgusting), right?!? A year later, that band split up, and Watkins was sentenced to nearly 3 decades in prison.

That wasn't the end of the story though. The music industry wanted nothing to do with the band anymore, and people were destroying album copies in attempt to cease the band's existence. The remaining members formed a new band No Devotion, with Thursday vocalist Geoff Rickly. With all that said, Lostprophets had pretty much become the Dark Lord of the rock/metal realms. However, they were quite popular in the days before sh*t went down. Out of the ashes of Fleshbind and Public Disturbance, Lostprophets made their debut The Fake Sound of Progress that was released in 2000 via Visible Noise, with a more successful re-release via Columbia Records the following year.

The album begins with an "Obscure Intro". Then the single "Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja" is a prime example of the album's nu metal, along with videogame references in the title. The 6-minute title track actually has some similarities to Opeth with its calm groove and somewhat progressive structure, while the nu metal sound stays intact. Then the first of 4 noise interludes appear. "Five Is a Four Letter Word" is more effective despite not being a single. Also effective is the vocals in "...And She Told Me to Leave", along with post-ish guitar chords that can remind listeners more of the emo-rock of Sunny Day Real Estate than the metal of In Flames that seems to take on some influence for the album, and other modern metal releases.

The second noise interlude follows, having some DJ scratching. That also occurs at the end of "Kobrakai". The song itself has some screamed vocals that fit together with the singing. "The Handsome Life of Swing" is basically hardcore metal that's diversified by some jazz sections. The third interlude comes on, sounding nice and soft. "A Thousand Apologies" (yeah that's what Ian Watkins should be writing) has some more nu metal reminiscent of Demon Hunter's debut. "Still Laughing" (but that's what Ian Watkins would be doing if he still has some evilness) has some hardcore-ish hard rock that Eighteen Visions would adopt for their mid-2000s material.

Then we have the 4th and last interlude that's like the "Cure for the Itch" of this album. "For Sure" has more melody that for sure sounds like it has bled into metalcore bands like Killswitch Engage and Underoath. "Awkward" is indeed a little too awkward for what I like and comes out as more of a throwaway track. Honestly, I thought "Ode to Summer" was gonna be just an outro, but it turned out be to be one more track with some nu metal reminiscent of Demon Hunter's debut. A solid ending!

I wouldn't say The Fake Sound of Progress is a super awesome album, but it has certainly never failed. Lostprophets have shown some potential in their debut. Whether or not you wanna avoid this band like a plague because of the vocalist's horrid actions, this album should catch on in the nu metal community. The sound of progress is real....

Favorites: "Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja", "The Fake Sound of Progress", "Five Is a Four Letter Word", "The Handsome Life of Swing", "A Thousand Apologies", "Still Laughing", "For Sure", "Ode to Summer"

I've seen this band Sleep Token getting mentioned a lot lately in different sites. With their new album being this month's Gateway feature release, I thought it would be the right time to find out what the hype is about. And let me tell you, this is one of the best albums to combine pop and metal in my life!

Having just come back from headlining a tour in Australia, Sleep Token started getting ready for an immense comeback that is Take Me Back to Eden! Pretty much half of their album was released as 6 singles one by one in the 5 months leading up to its release. Apparently, this album concludes a trilogy that began with their first two albums. Mixing heartful melodies and reflective lyrics with metal guitars, Take Me Back to Eden breaks the boundaries of heavy music and pays off with graceful strides.

A true blessing was unleashed with first single "Chokehold", as the beautiful synths and vocals welcome you to Eden. What's incredible is the ethereal atmosphere that you just gotta hear! The next day, listeners get to hear "The Summoning", with heavier breakdowns leading up to a soulful bass/vocals ending. The song is highly popular on Spotify, and I can understand why. Next single "Granite" has some energy though in an R&B/trap direction. The lyrics have frontman Vessel standing up for himself, which fits well for the album's tone. "Aqua Regia" continues to descend from the dynamics with just a minimalistic instrument lineup of bass, drums, and piano, as Vessel continues rising with his vocals that are like Imagine Dragons but better.

"Vore" sharply turns into blackgaze. Vessel takes on vicious screaming while drummer II blasts through with rapid drumming which, combined with intense guitar heaviness, adds beautiful ambient darkness that sounds so killer. "Ascensionism" ascends through 7 minutes of sonic emotion. Melancholic piano and delicate vocals start things off before an atmospheric buildup. Then we switch to that electronic trap beat as Vessel takes on autotuned rap-ish singing that I would rather hear from him instead of T-Pain. Just listen to that personality! Things get tense as another verse builds, and finally, a heavy breakdown occurs, a little more touching piano, and then ground-pounding finale. "Are You Really Okay?" is worth some praise as a sad yet uplifting ballad with clean guitar. The lyrics head down in esoteric depths as they warn you about mental health and the dangers of self-harm. "The Apparition" is similar with more of the harmonic vocals, clean guitars, serene synths, and programmed drums, before the djent comes again.

"DYWTYLM" may be a fan divider, but the sparse instrumentation is something great to love. "Rain" will have people clapping along in live shows, especially to the infectious chorus, "Rain down on me". The 8-minute title epic really nails the structure. In a garden of birds, Vessel sings in tranquility before lyrics of mental state are semi-rapped. The ending climax has Vessel screaming in pretty much the heaviest breakdown of the album. "Euclid" ends it all in bittersweet hope with the last of Vessel's vocals here. The album and trilogy may be over, but who knows what's next in the future of this band?

Take Me Back to Eden shows Sleep Token experimenting in beautiful greatness, and in the end, we have a lot of emotional complexity to explore that will have you wanting more once you try it. I was given a chance to check out the hype, and it was well worth the ride!

Favorites: "Chokehold", "The Summoning", "Vore", "Ascensionism", "DYWTYLM", "Take Me Back to Eden"

Anyone who thought the Firestorm EP was the beginning of the band's career would be surprised to find this EP from 1992 that has the metallic hardcore sound the band is known for, but not as much impact. This EP was re-released nationwide via Victory Records in the same year as the release of their debut album Destroy the Machines. While it's not as strong as their subsequent releases, All Out War has good ambition. The straight edge themes of war for animal rights having already started from the lyrics and cover art, attacking humanity's cruelty and greed. Karl Buechner and co. have their hardcore charm despite the drums and guitars sounding a bit wandering here.

The title opener stands against the sloppy production and comes close to surpassing "Firestorm" as the band's best classic track. "Ecocide" is another special track. There are stronger lyrics that won't go too well in a modern recording as it had when it came out 30 years before this review. What makes this really special is, it was re-recorded for their 3rd full album Breed the Killers.

The last two songs are not as spectacular as the first two, but nonetheless, the EP shows a solid start of the band's journey greatly improved by their mid-90s material. Although I wouldn't recommend All Out War to newcomers, unless they're going chronologically, the EP will interest fans of the band that have made straight edge history....

Favorites (only songs I really like): "All Out War", "Ecocide"

Those crushing Danish doomsters Saturnus seemed to have disappeared for a decade between this album and the last. Their comeback album can also mark my solid return to one of the most depressive genres around, doom metal, specifically death-doom. A couple years ago, I decided that I was not up for the slow sadness of this band and the Peaceville 3, but maybe this album has a glimmer of hope (ironic, right?) in my rediscovery of the genre. Saturnus has proven themselves to be the Danes' response to My Dying Bride and the early/mid-90s eras of Anathema and Paradise Lost with their first 4 albums, each with an average 5-years interval in between.

Fast forward through a decade of silence, an EP of Evinta-style remakes of earlier songs and demos of new ones were made, hinting at something big coming up... And finally came album #5, The Storm Within! As usual, vocalist Thomas A.G. Jensen and bassist Brian Hansen lead their emotional gothic death-doom group through the modern harshness of our world. Will they still carry the storm?

The title opener is one of two 11-minute epics, and it displays the band's haunting darkness from the start. Soft piano and acoustic melancholy make a sweet opening buildup in the first 3 minutes. Then the storm begins as the death growls and guitar heaviness pour down like massive rain. Jensen's cavernous vocals have strong potential, along with dramatic spoken passages. The slow pacing allows the guitar shines in stellar chords and heavy doom riffing. A massively effective opening piece! "Chasing Ghosts" is the second 11-minute epic here blends in bleak atmosphere with soft guitar air, almost like both the early and late eras of Anathema combined, together with traces of My Dying Bride's doomy sound. It's so monstrous yet beautiful, especially in the death growls and guitar that any of the darker metalheads can be up for. Just from those first two tracks alone, you're already getting a lot of dark doom and gloom!

Adding more of the northern European melodeath-doom into the mix, "The Calling" stands out with a more upbeat rock-like pace similar to the mid-90s albums of Katatonia and Amorphis. It's a nice change of pace after those slow epics, that's worth total replay value. The upbeat guitar shines like a warm sun over the cold world. The soft ode "Even Tide" has clean singing by Paul Kuhr of Novembers Doom. Perhaps the darkest song I've heard in a long time is "Closing the Circle".

Focused on mid-paced melody again is "Breathe New Life" that once again keeps things animated (not like a cartoon of course). It's shorter than all the other tracks at just 5 minutes in length, yet it seems to go downhill a bit. The final track "Truth" reaches a searing intense climax before a gentle ending.

Honestly, I've forgotten all about Saturnus until I found out about this album that I didn't expect would come but I'm glad it did. It's a very good accomplishment to continue this band's dark journey. The more depressive metalheads can dwell for eternity in the nice melodic bleakness. Doom metal fans should definitely get chase this great storm. I don't know if I'll be up for a sequel in the future (hopefully not too distant), but it's great to hear the Danish death-doom masters strike again....

Favorites: "The Storm Within", "Chasing Ghosts", "The Calling", "Closing the Circle"

Time for my next attempt at finding the appeal of crossover thrash. I find a couple genres like crossover thrash and grindcore easier to digest in small amounts like EPs. When those genres are focused on small abrasive songs, they work best when the tracks are the same amount as in a typical album of most other genres while keeping the track lengths, and sometimes even lower than that. That's why I barely had any trouble with the Corrosion of Conformity album I reviewed.

And now for this EP by modern crossover thrashers Municipal Waste! The Last Rager was released between the band's 6th and 7th albums. I was hoping to feel the hype thrash fans had over this release, but the first half turned out be a disappointment for me...

"Wave of Death" shows what I mean by playing the EXACT SAME RIFF in two minutes, spiced up only slightly by gang vocals including the title occasionally being shouted and a guitar that's just too abruptly short. Other than those two aspects, that song sounds more like one of those riff loop tracks than anything. Next up, "Car-Nivore (Street Meat)" has what fans of the band would expect, relentless yells and stampeding riffs. They're not totally bad, but I wished they could've interested more.

"Rum for Your Life" is far better! Here we have some wonderful riffing played fast with a bit of groove. There's great taste in the bass, drums, and vocals as well to remind fans of the band's earlier material and me of the heavier thrash bands I've encountered. The best song here! What's also great is the title finale. The first minute might remind some of the "O.D." crossover thrash bands (fans of the genre know what they are), and the raging combo continues on with great guitars. It actually sounds really unique here, almost as if the band were from 35 years prior to the EP and brought their sound to life in these modern times.

All in all, the first half of the EP comes out as disappointing, yet the second half clearly shows a better side of crossover thrash. This EP was a nice thing to keep Municipal Waste fans' spirits up while waiting in that 5-year gap between albums. A little more variety wouldn't hurt though....

Favorites: "Rum for Your Life", "The Last Rager"

Recently, Godflesh founder Justin Broadrick has been diagnosed with autism and PTSD. There are some people (such as myself, diagnosed with autism at age 2 instead of 52) who are a little surprised, while others, mostly long-time fans, had that suspicion for some time. His anxiety and shyness when it comes to live performances is one hint, having once gotten to the point where a panic attack caused the band to come to a halt for around a decade. But during that split and beyond, he created more projects. Then he reformed Godflesh with two more albums in the 2010s. And now it all leads up to the new album Purge! The title is already a giveaway about the modern updates provided to the concepts of their 1992 album Pure. Broadrick has worked together with Ben Green once again to let out some temporary relief...

Long-time fans and pretty much anyone familiar with the band's earlier material can definitely recognize the Pure sound, almost like these two albums can be connected! I'm sure some listeners can recognize some of the more classic tracks from the Pure album. Broadrick and Green's task at hand since the beginning is to unleash the robotic rhythms that have shaped up the genre they played their part in pioneering, industrial metal. Also looking back at the 80s/90s is the occasional hip-hop-ish groove that can ensure the album's variety without sounding too odd.

That rhythmic effect opens the album's first track and single "Nero", which is quite strong when mixed when the crushing vocals/guitar. The more abrasive "Land Lord" is a true standout for me, having some killer harmonic bends in the strings. "Army of Non" has the band's unabridged purity. It throws back to the glory days of Streetcleaner with the hammering and screeching guitars alongside the harsh vocals of Broadrick. The diversity in the heaviness adds to their bleak aura.

What's a bit droopy for me is "Lazarus Leper". However, the driving "Permission" is the opposite, in which noise-ridden electronic beats and dark chords, alongside the choir-like vocals sung by Broadrick.

The crawling "The Father" has an epic God/Slayer-sounding mix (I meant a mix of the bands GOD and Slayer) while in a Hymns-esque mainstream throwback. The crushing "Mythology of Self" marches with its slow drum pattern that blasts into your face with every hit. "You are the Judge, the Jury, and the Executioner" is the 8-minute epic, yet sounding simple in the beat and chord in a mesmerizing way.

The legacy of this band that has quite a 3 or 4-decade journey shows that as the two main members grow older, they can experiment with other music styles without giving a sh*t what the more critical critics think of their studio material, though live performances are a different story. Many of the band's albums are amazing with barely anything weak, but they don't reach the perfect glory of their late 80s releases. Purge is not an album that I would expect to have that past glory, while it comes close to being the best album of the new era!

Favorites: "Land Lord", "Army of Non", "The Father", "You are the Judge, the Jury, and the Executioner"

This golden modern metalcore quarter have made another grand offering, and this time they made it out of 3 EPs released throughout 2021. That technique would be tried out a couple years later by Atreyu for their own album The Beautiful Dark of Life. Anyway, the band that currently consists of bassist/vocalist Aaron Pauley, guitar duo Phil Manansala and Alan Ashby, and founding drummer Valentino Arteaga, have been in the music zone since their second album The Flood (we do not speak of their debut).

It was during their tour for Earthandsky when the pandemic came and cut short that tour and many others. The band decided to use the time to do some creative writing and recording, with each member recording in separate homes and sharing what they've made to each other via Zoom and Twitch. Pauley has proven his production talents by mixing and mastering the songs in 3 EPs; Timeless, Bloom, and Ad Infinitum. As a result, we have another metalcore album reaching perfect heights, Echo! It's tied with The Flood as one of the band's best albums, continuing the throwback to that album in Earthandsky while digging up some of the catchy melody of Defy.

The Timeless part of the album opens the title track of that EP, introducing us to this new side of Of Mice & Men. We look at life through wires and hope for light in these dark situations. You can really feel that storm of emotion! We have more melancholic writing in "Obsolete" that comes out as a brutal banger while having the usual choruses worth singing along to. The synth atmosphere fits well in the heavy yet melodic "Anchor", which open-minded music listeners shouldn't take for granted.

Raining down to start the Bloom part of the album is the earth-quaking "Levee". The heavenly title track of that EP is relatable for anyone suffering the loss of a family member. You can't turn back the clock, let alone turn it back so the ones you lost could return. We can at least be grateful for what we have. Sure you may look back at the negative past, but just remember, you have a more optimistic future to look forward to. If you're currently alive and listening to this album or reading this review for it, you've already survived the pandemic and that's a good thing. The headbanging "Pulling Teeth" is more aggressive, while still having clean vocals that shine here.

Kicking off the Ad Infinitum part of the album, "Mosaic" has philosophical questions like "Can we carry the weight of our humanity and find a remedy for our misguided misanthropy?" It's also one of the heaviest songs here, to get you ready for a moshpit battle. The ballad-ish "Fighting Gravity" is the start of the album's dramatic climax. Darkness and light engage in a showdown as the instrumentation broadens to include ethereal synths going well with the heavy riffs and poetic lyrics. The title track of the entire album is an amazing track and what got me up to checking out this band for real! Aaron Pauley's vocals sound awesome here. The album ends with the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover "Helplessly Hoping". Surprising yet a soft beautiful way to end this offering.

Whether or not you've already heard a lot of what they've offered before, Echo is still an impressive album with crushing bangers and melodic pieces. This masterpiece is for any fan of metalcore and Of Mice & Men, reigning supreme in the Pauley era!

Favorites: "Timeless", "Obsolete", "Bloom", "Fighting Gravity", "Echo"

Just when we thought Of Mice & Men would go further down the alt-metal rabbit hole, they launch back into their metalcore roots! The heaviness of The Flood is back in true form, and they're never giving it up too easily. Conveniently, Earthandsky came out in 2019, exactly 10 years since the band first formed, so it's an excellent way to celebrate that milestone and see how far they've come.

The earlier fans who thought the band couldn't relive their past glory without Austin Carlile would be blown away. Earthandsky came out just over a year and a half after their first album with Carlile, Defy. And they can prove themselves to reign in heaviness even without their most well-praised member.

An eerie violin intro begins "Gravedancer" before leading into fast riffing and perhaps the closest the band has gone to prog-metal. Not too long after, "As We Suffocate" has more of the riffing energy and Aaron Pauley's vocal range you already know well. "Taste of Regret" greatly exemplifies what the band is going for, the melodic choruses and heavy breakdowns of metalcore. "Mushroom Cloud" has the f***ing heaviest breakdown of the album, probably by the band. Definitely worth it in a live show!

"Pieces" continues the breakdown intensity while balancing it all out with melody and emotion in the chorus. Then "Deceiver/Deceived" has more of the fast heaviness while having melodic verses and excellent soloing. The title track has true power in the chorus. With that and its heavy verses, it's the ultimate standout of the album!

"The Mountain" experiments more with the vocals similarly to Beartooth. Though we have the signature climatic breakdown there. "Meltdown" is a heavy anthem while suitable enough for the radio. While the other songs in the album are heavier, the breakdowns are still around, balanced out with the melody for more energy. "Linger" continues the heavy/melodic blend with different vibes. The final anthem "How to Survive" has fast energy, motivational lyrics, and epic soloing. So much f***ing fire!

Earthandsky shows the band making a blast to the past for a heavier present. Melodic metalcore has been done just right with enjoyable vocals and breakdowns. Both the earlier and newer fans can get a great kick out of this album that is an amazing representation for the band of what they are!

Favorites: "Gravedancer", "Taste of Regret", "Mushroom Cloud", "Earth & Sky", "The Mountain", "How to Survive"

With unclean vocalist Austin Carlile out of the band due to his health issues (among other reasons), bassist/clean vocalist Aaron Pauley now takes on the frontman role. The alt-metal direction continues from their previous album with less of their metalcore roots than before...

Despite that, Defy is a slight step up from Cold World even though they're both sitting well at 4 stars. It's more likely at this point that the band can bring in more of the new fans than keep the earlier fans. Though that's just more about the style than the instrumentation. While I enjoy Carlile's vocals, Pauley sounds better in both singing and screaming. He gives the songs more powerful defiance.

The title track opens the album in full-on triumph. "Instincts" continues the fury of the guitars/drums storm. Pauley soars through with his yells and cleans. And again in "Back to Me". Taking a more melodic turn in "Sunflower", a beautiful highlight of the band's new direction.

"Unbreakable" is another unbreakable anthem. Then the fury is toned down in "Vertigo". Their cover of Pink Floyd's "Money" has the most energy from the band since Restoring Force. Following this is "How Will You Live" which has nothing bad at all, continuing the usual heavy riffing and melodic chorus to get you headbanging.

"On the Inside" takes on more atmospheric depths in the leads and synths. That gives the song more in common with modern metalcore bands, along with the mesmerizing breakdown. Another excellent highlight! Then "Warzone" has heavy aggression suitable for the moshpit. Though the clean section is too odd and forced. Towards the end is "Forever YDG'N", continuing the "YDG" (Ya Dig?!) saga as another favorite. "If We Were Ghosts" is an atmospheric ending track to remind some of A Perfect Circle.

Defy might not keep the earlier fans around with the absence of Carlile and the band's road towards alt-metal. Still it's powered up by the catchy melody and crushing heaviness. It's a new step in keeping the band alive....

Favorites: "Defy", "Sunflower", "Unbreakable", "Money", "On the Inside", "Forever YDG'N"

For 4 albums, Of Mice & Men unclean vocalist Austin Carlile was the leader of the pack, but a few months after Cold World was released, he left the band. His departure was for a variety of reasons including his conversion to Christianity, his health, his move to Costa Rica, and the band not letting him write what we wanted for the album. He's focused more towards family life now while still making some music, and there were recently some alleged abuse accusations towards him which he denied.

Did his final album with the band peak as much Restoring Force as and its singles? Not entirely, but they have diversified their sound to cover different tracks of metalcore and hard rock, though the end result is an album of alt-metal wisdom...

The opening track "Game of War", unlike their previous albums, starts this one off with mellow guitar strums (I almost thought this was Trivium's "The End of Everything") and soft delicate vocal melodies. If any fans thought this was gonna be an ambient pop-rock album because of that, they thought wrong... "The Lie" breaks open the gates with the band's typical sound, with the vocals ranging from screaming to singing to spoken, plus a massive ending breakdown. Single "Real" has a lot of the album's catchiness in the chorus and anthemic lyrics worth singing along to. Leveling up the heavy hooks is "Like a Ghost", though it fails to reach the compelling factor for me. The band take on some influence from A Perfect Circle in "Contagious".

The album has two interludes that don't add too much, starting with "-". It segues to "Pain", a total unclean crusher with lyrics about the pain of Carlile's Marfan syndrome, which he inherited from his late mother. "PAIN!!!! Every day that I awake, in my blood and through my veins, now there's nothing left that you can take away from me!" There's a bit of a Korn vibe in "The Hunger". Adding more of the nu metal to their metalcore is the aptly titled "Relentless" that shall work well in live shows. The emotional "Down the Road" has the melody of 2010s Linkin Park.

"+" is the second of the two unnecessary interludes. "Away" should've also been a single with its mid-tempo hooks. Sure it's soft, but even then it's beautiful and lightens up my day. Closing the book is "Transfigured", in which Aaron Pauley shines on in both the bass and the clean vocals that cover the entire track. A great foreshadowing of Pauley taking over all vocal duties after Carlile's exit from the band.

I still enjoy Restoring Force more than Cold World, though here they've added more variety in their writing. Of Mice & Men can surely please more than just metalcore fans. Years of expanding their fanbase have been paying off, and Pauley would make sure the band goes on, even without its original leader....

Favorites: "The Lie", "Real", "Pain", "Relentless", "Away", "Transfigured"

Making it big with their lucky sophomore album The Flood, Of Mice & Men were all set to follow it up. Joining them is current bassist/clean vocalist Aaron Pauley who had just left the band Jamie's Elsewhere (though he would later rejoin that band when they reformed). And there are some different tricks the band has up their sleeves...

As usual, the band has their blend of heaviness and melody in the breakdowns and choruses, along with motivational lyrics, all of which can also be heard in other bands like The Ghost Inside. With their 3rd album Restoring Force, Of Mice & Men felt like making some changes. The nu metal/hard rock hints in a few songs from The Flood are in full force here while making room for their usual metalcore. Restoring Force doesn't reach the perfect height of The Flood, but it's another amazing part of the band's tenure!

The album begins with a "Public Service Announcement". If you've only seen the song title, you might think it's an intro track. But once you press play, the song is actually a crushing metalcore attack with driving drums. "Feels Like Forever" starts off the album's different direction. The guitar grooves are slower. Austin Carlile's vocal range is more diverse, and he often takes on some clean singing that is reserved for Pauley in the melodic chorus. "Bones Exposed" continues what the band had in The Flood with fast verses that display Carlile's insane screaming and the slow chorus with Pauley's harmonic singing. The more hard rock side of things is exemplified in "Would You Still Be There". Slow and steady wins the catchy radio rock race, though in this case, it made that song another memorable highlight. It can really make their fanbase grow big.

Another heavy song "Glass Hearts" has more of that metalcore structure while Pauley's cleans continue to ascend in the chorus. The lyrics are quite relatable too, "These are the hardest four years of my life." You can say that about your high school/college years, though it seems like Carlile is singing about his time in the band, if he means in a "challenging but a good challenge" way. Either way, in any struggle, there's always hope, so don't let go of it. Next track "Another You" brushes aside the heaviness for melodic drama. "Break Free" is a bit of a diluted tune, but it's still fine.

"You Make Me Sick" takes the nu metal influences much further. It's a true heavy standout jam-packed with growls and violence. I sense some Slipknot vibes in both the music and the hardcore lyrics, "You serpent, you lying snake, you make me sick." The bridge has some guitar buildup leading up to a 18-second scream! Wow, just like in Linkin Park's "Given Up". A much better and heavier song than "Given Up" though. Up next, "Identity Disorder" has a similar structure to the previous track, though this song has more melody. However, there's not much different at that point, and while there's nothing bad about that song, memorability is out of the window there. "You're Not Alone" has an anthemic beat to knock other nu metal bands out of the park. Ending the original album is the melodic ballad "Space Enough to Grow". It's much better than the previous album's "When You Can't Sleep at Night", here actually showing deep strength. "Even when we give up all hope, there’s space enough to grow." Wonderful!

As with The Flood, Restoring Force is followed up by a deluxe reissue almost a year later, titled Restoring Force: Full Circle, containing 4 bonus tracks, starting with "Broken Generation" which is a true well-crafted highlight in both that bonus section and the album overall. "Something to Hide" has the groove-ish metalcore of later bands like Oceans Ate Alaska. "Never Giving Up" has the motivational alt-metal of Tremonti and what Architects would have in their later albums. The reissue ends with an acoustic version of "Feels Like Forever". Nice, but I prefer the original.

The amount of variety and talent shown in Restoring Force proves that Of Mice & Men are standing strong and breaking through metalcore boundaries. The band have been gaining more publicity and hitting the radio airwaves with their music, thanks to this album's more rock-ish tone. The freshness that goes well with their roots has won new fans as much as earlier ones. A new mature direction for the band is on the rise!

Favorites: "Public Service Announcement", "Would You Still Be There", "Glass Hearts", "You Make Me Sick", "You're Not Alone", "Space Enough to Grow", "Something to Hide", "Never Giving Up"

Founded by unclean vocalist Austin Carlile in 2009, shortly after leaving Attack Attack! following that band's debut Someday Came Suddenly, Of Mice & Men started off with melodic post-hardcore in their 2010 debut, following the footsteps of that Attack Attack! album, albeit without the autotune and trance-y dance-y synths. Of Mice & Men's second album The Flood began their full display of the more metallic sound the band would be known for, and what a perfect leap of faith it is!

Before recording, Carlile and co-founder bassist Jaxin Hall both left after the debut, the former for a major heart surgery. The band made a cover of Jamie Foxx's "Blame It" with two different members. Then Carlile rejoined and the band brought in rhythm guitarist Alan Ashby, in time to record this album taking the metalcore realm by storm.

You can already hear the massive step up at the start of "O.G. Loko" (referencing an illegal alcoholic drink, though I think of that cartoon Code Lyoko). The tempo drives through alongside the destructive screamed vocals and energetic riffs. It also hints at a bit of the nu metal in later releases, and that's the kind of blend to expect from that year's Emmure album Speaker of the Dead. Absolutely heavy fury to give The Flood the redemption value it already has. There's more momentum in "Ben Threw" (a pun on the phrase "been through" and Carlile's pet cat Ben) throwing their fast metalcore sound into your face like a thousand pies. "Let Live" balances on the line between the hardcore of The Chariot and the melody of Atreyu. The anthemic "Still YDG'n" continues the "YDG" (Ya Dig?!) saga and is a much better deal than the first one in their debut.

"My Understandings" is a beautiful mellow ballad that can work as this album's intermission. Crashing back into heaviness, "Ohioisonfire" is a destructive standout. The guitar duo's wizardry and Valentino Arteaga's drumming build up this wall of sound topped off by Carlile's mind-f***ing screams. "Purified" is another one of many great highlights here. "Product of a Murderer" is an interesting one. The sound is much darker and heavier, coming close to the deathcore of Despised Icon and Impending Doom. However, the guitar melodies and clean singing in the chorus prevent the song from going that far.

There starts to be a bit of familiarity with the earlier post-hardcore in "Repeating Apologies" that can still touch your heart with its bridge. Fortunately, "The Great Hendowski" reminds you from the starting riff that the album still has immense greatness. Then they really tear things apart in "I'm a Monster" with the most intense heaviness around. "When You Can't Sleep at Night" is an acoustic bonus track in the CD edition which is OK but doesn't add much. The perfect 5-star rating is for the edition without that track.

The following year, the band recorded 4 new tracks for a extended re-release of The Flood. Bassist/clean vocalist Shayley Bourget had already left the band, so Carlile's screams became the sole main vocal style for those tracks, and Ashby took over on bass.

The first new track, "The Calm" is a calm two-minute interlude. If the tracks were part of the original album instead of its own CD, that would nicely segue from that acoustic song. Then comes "The Storm" with its melodic intro before becoming another monstrous force. Despite the lack of clean singing, the screams themselves make perfect stylistic transition between shrieks and growls. The ravenous title track is probably the best of the entire offering. The gang vocals alternating with the screams, along with the vicious breakdowns, shall make mosh pits almost as huge as a black hole. What a shame that track didn't end up in the main album. Final track "The Depths" is not as interesting as the other new tracks, but there's not much bad about it at all. Carlile orders you to jump, sing, and scream with him, like a metalcore drill sergeant. And you can scream along to the chorus, "My body’s failing, I think I’ve hit the floor, I cannot feel anything anymore", despite how cheesy the lyrics often get.

Scr*w the debut! The Flood is where Of Mice & Men's journey really begins as a huge step from their earlier post-hardcore sh*t. You can have fun jamming along to the melodic main album and then destroy everything with their brutal bonus CD in the reissue. You can never forget this band's passion and perseverance!

Favorites: "O.G. Loko", "Still YDG'n", "Ohioisonfire", "Purified", "The Great Hendowski", "I'm a Monster", "The Storm", "The Flood"

At this point, In This Moment are starting to embrace their electronic influences much more to the point of starting their transition into a more industrial alt-metal sound. Mother would begin that transition before the sound is set in stone with their new album Godmode. Barely any of the blues rock elements in Ritual remain for the most part, and you might think it's Blood and Black Widow all over again...

Of course, you can't be too certain. Their music is quite unpredictable, as are their live shows. Guitars and electronics make a strange yet intriguing combination with the unique vocals of Maria Brink who can switch from an ice queen to a fire queen in no time flat.

The droning intro "The Beginning" lets you know about the ride through dark hellfire you're gonna take, "I am the god and the devil around you, I am the Heaven and Hell you crave". For the first actual song, "Fly Like an Eagle", the band took a Steve Miller song and covered it to make it dark and beautiful. Maria Brink's vocal power is incredible! The intro itself is almost a cover of the Terminator theme. I f***ing love it! "The Red Crusade" is another cinematic interlude, "Holy war, I'm in between". It segues to "The In-Between" with lots of distortion in the vocals, guitars, and synths. It has a beautiful powerful chorus, "I'm gonna bring a little Hell, I'm gonna bring a little Heaven". Then "Legacy" has more beautiful emotion for your ears to absorb.

"We Will Rock You" lights up the fire as an epic cover of the Queen hit, featuring Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) and Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless). F*** yeah, that's the female-powered anthem we need alongside Evanescence's "Use My Voice"! The title track has a spoken prayer in the intro followed by quiet piano before the powerful vocals explode in with tender moments. "I'll give you my everything, I'll never let you fall". Then "As Above So Below" has sharp industrial angst. Heading down into "Born in Flames", Brink's vocals fit well with the keyboard synths, "Don't you know you're a king raised by queens, born in flames?"

Sweeping through is "God is She" in which guitars boom in alongside Brink's sinister vocals stirring up lively imagery, "I am the nightmare you've been crawling through". Next up, "Holy Man" bounces through different riffs and more of Brink's vocal harmonies ("Show me a savior, show me something I understand, even the worst kind of sinner is a holy man") before ending with eerie organ. "Hunting Grounds" stands out with its pummeling heaviness and Brink's duet with Joe Cotela of Ded, whom Brink is currently in a relationship with, as the vocal harmonies bleed well into guitar melodies, "One of us is going down, let's do this anyway". Then we have "Lay Me Down", a nice rush through the closest we have to the blues rock vibe of Ritual. Ending things of an eerie note is one last cover, their take on "Into Dust" by Mazzy Star that lingers on in darkness and floats away into the unknown.

Industrial alt-metal darkness is starting to shape up in Mother. Most of the songs have a lot of love and are worth repeating again. Though it's not until their next album Godmode when the band's new sound finally takes true form....

Favorites: "Fly Like an Eagle", "The In-Between", "We Will Rock You", "Mother", "Born in Flames", "God is She", "Hunting Grounds"

The young, blonde, and proud queen of dark modern metal continues to show her capabilities in the 6th In This Moment album Ritual! Maria Brink and her crew have travelled through different music realms to add to their "rock out and dance" sound. She wanted to unleash the power from her heart with the suggestiveness being an afterthought.

Their 2017 album was recorded in Las Vegas with their new drummer Kent Diimmel having replaced Tom Hane the previous year. Brink was visiting her family in Salem before recording, which inspired her to make Ritual a concept album based on the Salem Witch Trials. Both the metal and electropop sides of the band are still around, but this time they added in some blues rock-infused guitarwork. This allowed a more organic vibe in the instrumentation and vocals.

Intro track "Salvation" starts things off ominous, like a run through a dark evil jungle, fleeing from the authorities. The first actual song and single of the album, "Oh Lord" already hints at the then-unexpected Southern blues rock direction. Paying homage a certain Billy Idol hit is "Black Wedding", a f***ing great song that you can use for a metal wedding! And of course, you can recognize a metal legend in Judas Priest's Rob Halford in this song. "In the Air Tonight" is the probably best cover I've heard of this Phil Collins hit. My only complaint is how muffled the drumming sounds, even during the beat-drop leading to the final chorus. Nonetheless, Maria Brink and co. nailed it!

Brink channels her inner Lady Gaga in the suitable "Joan of Arc". She can really swing through the pop rock jungle with her vocal vines. She can also run through the loud riff inferno in "River of Fire". One of the best songs here "Witching Hour" shows that the band can blend an electropop groove with guitar strumming that's not too far from a James Bond film soundtrack without causing a trainwreck. The sneaky "Twin Flames" also has excellent power.

"Half God Half Devil" drops a bit of quality due to how Korn-sounding it is. "No Me Importa" floats through nice slow chords, though they have a bit of mainstream repetition. Now if you're looking for the soundtrack to a workout scene in an action film, "Roots" is what you're looking for. That would really get you ripped and ready to take on bad guys in different eras. Closing the album is "Lay Your Gun Down" which dramatic synth-piano. As great as the climax when it builds up to there, this isn't really the best track to end it all. I've heard better...

In This Moment have maintained the strength they've carried with them since their debut from 10 years before this album. Ritual has secured the band's place on top and would've been as perfect as The Dream if not for a couple tracks towards the end. Still they continue to grow, and if this isn't one of the best albums to add blues rock elements into alt-metal, I don't know what is!

Favorites: "Black Wedding", "In the Air Tonight", "Joan of Arc", "Witching Hour", "Twin Flames", "Roots"

We have just reached album #5 in my In This Moment review journey. Released in 2014, Black Widow continues the electropop-infused direction from their previous album Blood. And they've progressed quite naturally here...

Note that the band's metal heaviness is still around, but they have more prominent electronic influences than before. While the songs are more suitable on the dancefloor than in a moshpit, there are certainly some headbanging moments, a similar balance to that of what Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie were doing in 1998. Despite turning away their earlier followers, Black Widow is still pretty great, not the best, but still fun. The hard music and personal lyrics shall get you both headbanging and dancing.

The intro "The Infection" features an audio sample from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, complete with the iconic camera sound, to add to the album's theme of personal horrors. "Sex Metal Barbie" features Maria Brink's powerful vocals as she battles against her inner and outer critics. I think now that I've watched the Barbie movie 6 months before this review, I'm able to take anything Barbie-related more seriously. Dual female roles are addressed in full attention in "Big Bad Wolf" through her usual vocal delivery. The delivery continues on in "Dirty Pretty" that has a darker Madonna vibe alongside their previous album's sound. A sample from an old-school documentary starts the title track, talking about how the dangerous the black widow spider is.

Brent Smith of Shinedown guest appears in "Sexual Hallucination" in a duet ballad with Brink. Not really the best, but never a stinker. "Sick Like Me" has more drama in both the music and lyrics, the latter dealing with bipolar relationships. Once again looking back at older movies, at least in the posters, is "Bloody Creature Poster Girl". Brink shows the world in "The Fighter" that she and other women can be independent without help from men. Bipolar relationships are acknowledged once again in "Bones". Then "Natural Born Sinner" encouraged you to stay to your true self.

"Into the Darkness" is a strange interlude with just a spoken dialogue of emotional abuse. "Out of Hell" is a bit of a struggle, but it's good for any teens to overcome problems in their lives. The original edition seemed to take a downward turn in the second half, but the high quality is redeemed in the Japanese edition bonus tracks, starting with "Turn You". That track and "Rib Cage" bring forward their alt-metal sound with similar music to Demon Hunter's self-titled debut but similar lyrics to Ice Nine Kills.

The different direction from Blood is still on in Black Widow. Powerful hooks and lyrical themes make this album solid and enjoyable. Though it can do without the last few tracks in the original edition....

Favorites: "Sex Metal Barbie", "Big Bad Wolf", "Black Widow", "Sick Like Me", "The Fighter", "Turn You", "Rib Cage"

In This Moment had fulfilled their starter trilogy with the metalcore heaviness of Beautiful Tragedy, the alt-metal melody of The Dream, and the in-between of A Star-Crossed Wasteland. So what's next? It was time for the band to go further down the Dream path, replacing most of the earlier metalcore elements with the first hints at their electro-industrial side that would take form in later albums...

Maria Brink and Chris Howorth have been working together in the band since their formation in 2005, and their teamwork continues to show in their 4th album Blood. Here we have some pop melody added to modern metal with some guitar soloing to spice things up every now and then.

The fascinating intro track "Rise With Me" consists of orchestral synths and Brink's singing. The title track already confirms the twist in the band's sound, which may sound weird at first listen, but you'll eventually enjoy it. A furious catchy single with a spicy guitar solo! "Adrenalize" is another great track to please the crowd. "Wh*re" has electronic atmosphere to get you hooked. "You're Gonna Listen" has solid guitar including killer shredding by Jake E. Lee (not to be confused with ex-Amaranthe vocalist Jake E).

One track that is a bit weird is the interlude "It is Written". It segues to "Burn" which is a slow anthem with stunning alt-/industrial metal that practically blends together Fear Factory, Mushroomhead, and late 2000s Soilwork. Then we have the more radio-friendly "Scarlet".

"Aries" is another ambient sample-based interlude that seems to take away some energy from this otherwise glorious album. "From the Ashes" also has an issue, with its cringy ending, but it should please a bit of the live crowd. "Beast Within" is another slow anthem that sounds like Within Temptation gone Mushroomhead. "Comanche" contains unique industrial aggression that makes this song one of my personal favorites of the album. "The Blood Legion" has some beautiful melancholy as you hear the pained emotion from Brink's voice. Ending track "11:11" replaces much of the music with theatrical drama as only Brink's vocals can be heard in both her own singing and layered choirs. A rather interesting way to go out.

Blood is one of those albums that with every listen, you'll find more appeal. Only the sample-based interludes and one of the tracks I find generic, but the rest of the album prevails with kick-A power. Something enjoyable enough to make you out for blood!

Favorites: "Rise With Me", "Blood", "Adrenalize", "You're Gonna Listen", "Burn", "Beast Within", "Comanche"

In This Moment are still going strong! Their 3rd album A Star-Crossed Wasteland starts heavy and ends soft. It actually sounds like the missing link between their first two albums. They take the raw heaviness of Beautiful Tragedy and mix it with the elegant melody of The Dream. As a result you get to hear the music equivalent to a bar fight followed by a romantic date.

Producer Kevin Churko had also produced a few albums by Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, and Hinder that same year, so that's a good excuse for the more classic metal/hard rock edge this album has. Either way, it's an amazing way to complete the band's starter trilogy.

Heavy opening track "The Gun Show" wastes no time re-introducing Maria Brink and co. Brink howls like a rabid wolf over the technical guitar skill of Chris Howorth. "Just Drive" starts with acoustic strumming before the hammering heaviness touches down. Thundering through is the drums and guitars as Brink screams out the verses. Those screams make a great harmonic contrast with her ethereal cleans in the chorus. Then we have the beautiful "The Promise", a melodic duet with Adrian Patrick of Otherwise.

"Standing Alone" is another grand banger, as the bass groove and drum fury speed on. It really stands out with the howling and singing contrasting with each other. Touching piano begins the title track, which then leads into heavy moody instrumentation. It is a nice vision of bright hope and dark despair together. Another one of the heavier tracks, "Blazin'" brings back the brutality from earlier on in the album and fires away in rage. Chris Howorth and Blake Bunzel brings their guitar talents up high, especially during the blazing soloing before a cheering bridge that shall bring life to live shows. "The Road" is a memorable catchy song, especially the soloing by Gus G. of Firewind.

"Iron Army" is a big generic, with the breakdowns and screams sounding stale at that point. There's also a bit spoken vocals in "The Last Cowboy" throughout the verses, which is quite interesting. Closing track "World in Flames" is the album's soft ending, filled with emotional beauty in the soulful vocals. Although I'm not a fan of ballads, ending an album with one is often a wise move, with that one being a final goodnight kiss. However, the bonus track "Remember" is a pleasant soundtrack to a nightmare.

A Star-Crossed Wasteland fills the gap between the first two In This Moment releases. They know how to mix melody and heaviness seamlessly for an impactful punch. Despite a couple tracks having slight vulnerable weakness, everything else has helped made this album a memorable one to remember!

Favorites: "The Gun Show", "Just Drive", "Standing Alone", "Blazin'", "The Road", "World in Flames"

The metalcore of Beautiful Tragedy has mostly been taken out. Fans of In This Moment's debut have one word in their mind to say about that, "sellout". However, while I'm a metalcore fan as well, I'm also a fan of this different direction the band decided to take. This is the band's pop-infused alt-metal sound at both its beginning and its best. They achieved the dream in The Dream!

As the female-fronted metal band formula rolls on, In This Moment made sure to do theirs better than other bands can. You'll have the chance to take a tour ride through Wonderland, all beginning with a descent down...

"The Rabbit Hole", a strange intro with lyrics of lavender clouds and the morning's sun birth that has just begun. From the opening riff of "Forever", I see alt-metal greatness coming! That along with soft verses and dramatic chorus what makes this song epic in the vocal and guitar department. I love this awesome song and Maria Brink might just f***ing surpass Bonnie Tyler by far. So cool! "All for You" is another rock-out track with technical riffing and keyboards fitting with the romantic lyrics. Things seem to drift a bit in "Lost at Sea" but the band lets their talents fly free so there isn't too much trouble. "Mechanical Love" masters the metallic power with heavy rhythms and siren-like singing that throw back to the 80s when there was a lot of all that.

"Her Kiss" is a ballad in the sense that it has a slower pace than the previous tracks, though there's more of a heavy gothic/sludge vibe in the instrumentation that embraces Maria's serene yet ominous and occasionally vicious voice. "Into the Light" is a more logical song to consider a ballad, as soft piano and strings accompany the voice of a fairy in solitude. A smooth uplifting break from the charging metal. Passing through is "You Always Believed" with more reflective lyrics. "The Great Divide" is an aggressive comeback to the thrashy metalcore of the band's debut with furious screams of blazing grooves. Absolutely killer!

"Violet Skies" has excellent harmonies and progressive depths with more of Maria's singing to take your breath away. The more atmospheric title closer lets you that the dream is never-ending, and you'll be back where it all began. The UK edition comes with a few bonus tracks including a killer cover of the Blondie hit "Call Me". The other two bonus tracks "A Dying Star" and "Sailing Away" which are OK, but they make me give the 5-star rating to the edition without those bonus tracks.

In This Moment have interesting tricks up their sleeve. Classic elements are blended together with modern ones for a unique kick-A approach. The Dream has all the band had ever dreamt of doing and more!

Favorites: "Forever", "All for You", "Mechanical Love", "Her Kiss", "The Great Divide", "Violet Skies", "Call Me" (Blondie cover, bonus track)

In the late 2000s, Myspace was responsible for helping several metalcore bands gain popularity on the internet, one of those bands being In This Moment. They ended up getting signed into Century Media, and a radio station interviewed the band and played a few of their songs, granting them more exposure. Beautiful Tragedy is a different album from the pop-infused alternative metal the band would have later, with infectious Gothenburg-influenced melodic metalcore that is worth reviewing...

The guitars unleash strong riffs and harmonic melodies, but what really stands out is the unique voice of Maria Brink. She can sing beautiful melodies perfect for choruses and add harsh fury to her screamed vocals practically surpassing most other metalcore vocalists out there. There's bound to be some action in live shows!

Spooky whispers swim through rain in the intro "Whispers of October". Then sheer hooks explode in with standout "Prayers". The title track is another incredible standout. A catchy chorus stands out alongside more of the killer hooks. The next song to follow is "Ashes". That one and "Daddy's Falling Angel" are quite catchy, and while they follow the predictable formula of alternating between screaming and singing, the band knows how to get it right in the writing.

"The Legacy of Odio" is a beautiful mellow track. Brink sings in true anguish, and the emotion bleeds into the heavier sections. "This Moment" can greatly work as the band's theme song, as least in this early era. It summarizes harsh vocals harmonizing the cleans and blending Swedish melodeath with metalcore breakdowns in this upbeat tune.

"Next Life" is a bit sticky, though I can't deny the Killswitch Engage influence there. "He Said Eternity" has more of the beautiful melodies while keeping the upbeat pace. "Circles" start off with a bit of ambience before launching into metalcore. The only other bands I know who can execute that idea perfectly are early Cave In, Norma Jean, Silent Planet, and Textures. One last mellow ballad, "When the Storm Subsides" almost works as a prequel to Parkway Drive's "A Deathless Song".

You don't often stumble upon an album where a female vocalist can scream her lungs out in one song, and then perform serene singing in a different commercially approved track. Although In This Moment would go a whole different direction later on, Beautiful Tragedy is another album that has given metalcore a next life....

Favorites: "Prayers", "Beautiful Tragedy", "The Legacy of Odio", "This Moment", "Circles"

Before we get to the point of my Killswitch Engage review journey, there's one more release I forgot about until after my Atonement review. Ever since the band's switch from Roadrunner Records to Metal Blade, they stopped doing the whole "special edition" business. Fortunately, there came an opportunity to release those 6 leftover tracks. When the pandemic hit, they decided to release them as an EP in which sales would be donated to a COVID relief organization. Hence the B-Sides for Charity!

So this is kind of like what happened with Epica's The Holographic Principle and The Solace System. But here we have KSE's usual melodic metalcore. Come to think of it, the EP would've fit nicely alongside Atonement as a special edition if Metal Blade allowed that. Still I would let them be, because why jinx Atonement's perfection?

First track "To the Great Beyond" starts off sounding like the most Amon Amarth-sounding metalcore song ever, with epic-sounding guitars and drums. However, the rest of the track sounds a bit hollow when put outside of Atonement and its diverse side. "Hollow Convictions" fits better outside of Atonement due to its sludgy pace, while still a powerful highlight. The guitarwork and death growls sound not too far off from their early material. "Killing of Leviathan" is a more thrashy track, and that kind of sound I think would be better suited for a different band like As I Lay Dying. Still we have that awesome blend of deathly and melodic, and some audible bass too.

I enjoy the screaming by Adam D. in "No Devotion". Then "I Feel Alive Again" is more lively with some melody that can found in other bands like Bleeding Through, Memphis May Fire, and Demon Hunter, albeit sounding uplifting. "Prophets of Treason" is another sludgy march while having some melody from Haste the Day and a bit of the progressiveness of Anacrusis' later albums.

Half of these songs sound like they could greatly blend in with Atonement, while the other half stands perfectly where they are. And it's quite diverse for a 6-track EP, standing on the line between heaviness, melody, and experimentation. The Atonement era is still one of a couple perfect eras for this amazing band!

Favorites: "Hollow Convictions", "Killing of Leviathan", "I Feel Alive Again"

I always thought the two best Killswitch Engage albums were the best by the band. While that's still the case, Atonement has joined the 5-star club, bringing back the perfect glory of that earlier era.

You really gotta thank Jesse Leach for leveling up the awesomeness in this band. Though Howard Jones is also amazing in his vocals. The emotional majesty comes from both the melodic and hardcore sides coming together. Atonement shows the band switching from Roadrunner to Metal Blade, which I guess is why what would've been special edition bonus tracks ended up in a separate EP. This album is the band's best in over 15 years and might just be an exciting groundbreaker!

The first track and single "Unleashed" already has what's to come in this offering. Then "The Signal Fire" lights up the heavy fire, and Howard makes a small but amazing comeback in the second verse with his massive screams. The drums and guitars are so fast and furious with intense variation. Next song "Us Against the World" can provide motivation and strength for you to fight against different challenges. In the majestic highlight "The Crownless King", Killswitch Engage continue bringing back some of the earlier heaviness. Chuck Billy of Testament has brought forward enough fury for this song to have potential in the DOOM soundtrack.

"I Am Broken Too" still shows the band intensifying their sound while mostly having melodic emotion. "As Sure as the Sun Will Rise" follows that motive with more brutality in the verses. We also have the catchy "Know Your Enemy" with more hardcore yells. The mid-tempo "Take Control" shows the band having the pleasure of reinventing the wheel without breaking the original wheel.

"Ravenous" doesn't lose any melody yet they still have their metal heaviness. "I Can’t Be the Only One" has the power to inspire you to be brave enough to battle against your personal issues. "Bite the Hand That Feeds" is a killer way out.

All in all, there aren't any problems at all in Atonement. Everything is well-composed with the band's usual blend of brutal and melodic. Atonement has its strengths to give listeners the strength they need. So intense while so inspirational! This solid offering shows that the band has not lost any steam, and I look forward to reviewing the next couple releases. Bring on the fire!

Favorites: "The Signal Fire", "The Crownless King", "I Am Broken Too", "As Sure as the Sun Will Rise", "Take Control", "I Can’t Be the Only One"

The album before this one, Disarm the Descent, is a near-perfect comeback for Jesse Leach leading these melodic metalcore innovators Killswitch Engage. It's like this earlier incarnation of the band was reincarnated! And it continues on into their next album Incarnate. Although it might be a small step back for what you're expecting from this band. Still it's the right path...

While barely any of these albums can surpass the first two, it's great seeing them bringing home the delicious metalcore bacon that they're still serving all these years. And with Jesse staying with the band during the writing process, it's the first album since his earlier era in which has fully contributed.

Rising from the silent void in the intro is "Alone I Stand", blasting off with the band's signature energy. Absolutely killer! Then another favorite, "Hate By Design" has lyrics striking back against the dark hateful side of politics. "Cut Me Loose" lets loose with its beautiful riffing. Unfortunately, the chorus is too radio-friendly. It is followed by a great bridge, but the outro is also problematic. "Strength of the Mind" is about facing your past struggles head-on and overcoming them for a stronger future, "Gather all your pain and suffering, turn them into strength and weaponry". The intro melody of "Just Let Go" almost throws back to their 5th album. Fortunately, there are powerful melodies from the vocals and guitars. Nice vocals by Adam D. too! The masterpiece highlight "Embrace the Journey... Upraised" truly stands out as a strong progressive mini-journey.

"Quiet Distress" starts soft and quiet before really cranking up the speed. "Until the Day" is also fast with audible bass, though having a more simplistic structure. "It Falls on Me" hits hard and slow, sounding heavy as f***. The bridge strikes deeply with the audible bass and Jesse's cleans. The outro breakdown absolutely destroys! "The Great Deceit" fights back against the injustice of rulers. "We Carry On" has simple atmosphere with nice texture. Again, Adam's vocals give the bridge nice depth. "Ascension" is another well-done track with a fun chorus. What's also fun is the audible bass and Adam performing deep growls. The ending breakdown also rules!

Now heading into the special edition bonus tracks, "Reignite" sounds as heavy as the band's debut while having catchy melody. This hardcore side of the band never disappoints. I enjoy the riffing here. "Triumph Through Tragedy" doesn't triumph at all, sounding generic with only Adam's growls being its saving grace. "Loyalty" pummels through before making space for Jesse's clean vocal melodies. Plus one more heavy breakdown to rule them all. There's also a live performance of "In Due Time".

It's clear that Killswitch Engage continues to impress longtime fans and newcomers in this album Incarnate. While there are a few downs compared to their many ups, this album will make you up for the ride and enjoy Jesse's vocal passion. In the metalcore scene, Killswitch Engage continues to make their stand!

Favorites: "Alone I Stand", "Hate By Design", "Strength of the Mind", "Embrace the Journey... Upraised", "It Falls on Me", "Ascension", "Reignite", "Loyalty"

Killswitch Engage came back and have since continued to stay front in the melodic metalcore scene! A lot has happened in the 4 years since their strong but somewhat disappointing 5th album. All That Remains vocalist Phil Labonte took over for touring in 2010 after Howard Jones stepped down due to illness. Howard would ultimately leave the band during the writing of the band's next album Disarm the Descent. He would later form his own band Devil You Know ( Light the Torch). Labonte dismissed any rumors of joining KSE full-time. After many different auditions, original vocalist Jesse Leach decided to return. At the time, he was in a side-project with Adam D., Times of Grace. And drummer Justin Foley recorded drums for the Unearth album Darkness in the Light. Plus several other side-projects that are all different stories for another day...

Disarm the Descent is a true treat for KSE fans wanting to hear both the earlier hardcore era and the later melodic era. This album comes close to reaching the perfect glory of those first two albums. We have the usual vocal melodies, heavy riffing, booming bass, and powerful drums. Jesse still has his strength in his screams and cleans, and in some songs, Adam has his own clean singing plus some death growls. This album is quite well-thought for one leaning into the hardcore side of metalcore. Everything has gone according to plan, thanks to Jesse and his stunning voice in which barely any other vocalists can reach the same height!

Proving that last statement right, "The Hell in Me" shows that the band are indeed back, with pulverizing riffing straight from the intro onwards. Another one of my favorite tracks here is "Beyond the Flames". I enjoy the balance between growls and cleans, the latter appearing the most prominent. The riffing sounds so catchy here. We also have audible bass and killer blast beats. "The New Awakening" once again crashes in with its heavy verses and melodic chorus, and some more of the audible bass too. The main riff of "In Due Time" is pure heavy metalcore bliss. Awesome music, awesome lyrics! The motivational anthem "A Tribute to the Fallen" is also underrated with its aggressive verses and melodic choruses making a memorable blend, along with its outro that makes the song as a whole sounds like one of Parkway Drive's tracks.

"Turning Point" continues that verse/chorus aspect while adding more screams in the chorus. The riffing in the intro is also some of the best, as are the melodic chorus and soloing. Excellent drumming there too! Next track "All We Have" really fires away in the instrumentation and vocals. We have another thoughtful track in "You Don't Bleed for Me" with its ethereal bridge and more of the audible bass striking through. "The Call" is another one of the best tracks here, with his destructive growls and screams in the pre-chorus. Some of the greatest heaviness there can be found in the drums. "No End in Sight" goes speedy while staying catchy in the riffing.

"Always" is yet another one of the best songs from this band, as well as one of the first that I've found, via a music video on TV. See, fury isn't always everything in metalcore... "Time Will Not Remain" continues the fast beats, but unfortunately, it lacks some strength and originality. The clean melodies are just too generic. It just doesn't work for the standard edition that would've had a perfect 5 stars. At least one of the special edition bonus tracks "Blood Stains" captures Jesse's vocals well. The brutality and beauty fit well for the riffing rhythms and melodic leads, respectively. The drums also sound great here. "Slave to the Machine" is another weak-ish track. In an attempt at adding all they're good at into a simple 3-minute formula, it still comes out as a mess. If we were to make Disarm the Descent a perfect album, "Blood Stains" should've closed the standard edition instead of "Time Will Not Remain", which then should've been separated as a different EP along with "Slave to the Machine" and the live tracks.

Despite these slight mistakes, I would consider Disarm the Descent KSE's 4th best album behind Atonement and the first two albums. It's an impressive comeback with almost the same kind of impact as Jesse Leach's first era. He has made his return, and the heart and soul he has made for this band is unbreakable!

Favorites: "Beyond the Flames", "In Due Time", "A Tribute to the Fallen", "Turning Point", "The Call", "Always", "Blood Stains"

You know how amazing a band is when their weakest album is still strong. One tip-off of how Killswitch Engage's 5th album stands below the others is the fact this album if self-titled. Nothing wrong with that, but they already have a self-titled debut. Fans have called this 2009 album "KSE II", since it's their second self-titled album. I think it would make sense to just call this album "KSE V", since it's their 5th album overall. Still you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

Killswitch Engage has had their music spread through both the underground and the overground, and KSE V has helped them continue their reign. Again it can never top any of their other releases, but it's another proud work and the band still have their way...

One of the band's strongest opening tracks is "Never Again" with full-on guitar aggression and a clever breakdown-gone-solo. Up next, "Starting Over" is tear-jerking banger filled with metalcore emotion. Then we have another great anthem in "The Forgotten", having a bit of jazzy experimentation in the tempo changes and more of the screaming-singing vocal alternation. Next track "Reckoning" kicks things up in monstrous vengeance. However, it ends up being a bit generic.

Then things lighten up in "The Return". It's quite strong despite having just clean singing along with the pop-ish chorus. Still it's a great ballad similar to a few that they done in the past (that one reader be like "Says you not being a big fan of ballads!"). "A Light in a Darkened World" has some of their strongest guitars, drums, and vocals yet, leading to brutal breakdown and beautiful acoustic bridge. Sh*t, that song's so phenomenal! "Take Me Away" starts with strong guitar shredding, then it flops into full-on weak vocals. My least favorite of the band. Coming close to that fate is the heavy "I Would Do Anything", but it saved by the vocals regain their strength along with heavy rhythms.

I don't have much to say about "Save Me", which is great though nothing noteworthy. One more ballad-ish track "Lost" drives through in sorrow and passion from Howard's vocals singing lyrics of love and loss. "This is Goodbye" is a more typical track with only what is expected from the band. It's still good, considering its balance amongst the more experimental tracks. The special edition bonus track "In a Dead World" is one of my favorite tracks by the band in general. The melodies, riffs, screams, cleans, and drums, all in a brilliant balance! The impact even comes from the light bridge. The darkness and light all lead into an powerful outro. If that glorious highlight was in the standard edition, replacing "Take Me Away", I would give this album rating an extra half-star.

The special edition also has a few live bonus tracks, but that's not important for this review. KSE V is, like all the band's other albums, something for longtime fans, hardcore listeners, and metalheads. Not the strongest but it still rules. All before Howard Jones' goodbye to the band....

Favorites: "Never Again", "The Forgotten", "The Return", "A Light in a Darkened World", "Lost", "In a Dead World"

While not as perfect as the initial Jesse Leach era, As Daylight Dies is probably the best of the Howard Jones trio of albums. Many different anthems can be found in this offering, and one of them I'm actually familiar with 10 years before I started listening to this band full-time. If you wanna hear Jones at his best in his time with the band, it's time to dive right in!

The hooks and grooves sail smoothly alongside Jones' vocals. Sure his role might divide the longtime side of Killswitch Engage's fanbase, and some metalhead purists might turn away, but there's a lot to enjoy in As Daylight Dies, and there's no point in denying.

The somewhat title opener "Daylight Dies" greatly blasts with the solid guitarwork of Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel, from pummeling riffs to monumental leads. We also have the sonic bass of Mike D'Antonio and the stampeding drums of Justin Foley. An epic start! I also enjoy track #2 "This is Absolution", another great track worth replaying. Then "The Arms of Sorrow" has some mellow sorrow while getting more complex. It's almost like the band's challenge of making a progressive track while staying under 4 minutes in length. The drums continue to keep me hooked. We have some more of the heaviness in the short "Unbroken", with drums blasting all the way through. However, clean vocals seem to be out of place in what's supposed to be scream-fest. After that is "My Curse", the song I've actually known since over a decade prior, and I still love it! There's an alternate version for radios that have all the screams replaced by cleans. Of course, you know which one I prefer. F***ing awesome melodic metalcore! And there's more of that in the other tracks...

"For You" starts off sounding a little more typical, then it gets more melancholic in the bridge, in which Howard continues his vocal melodies while balancing them out with his heavy screams. The one track that keeps the album away from being 5-star perfect is "Still Beats Your Name". It's not bad, but it doesn't really strike hard despite the heaviness and speed. "Eye of the Storm" is another perfect highlight, and once again this high-quality melodic metalcore sound hits me much more than it would've 10 years before this review. "Break the Silence" has more of those great screams and cleans from Howard, the latter especially shining in the chorus. The outro has Adam D., who has occasionally performed some background cleans, sneaking in some death growls behind Howard's singing. Fantastic! "Desperate Times" has heavy verses while marching in a slow atmospheric pace, the atmosphere having more light in the chorus. I also like the layered vocal melodies and Mike's audible bass in the bridge. It's almost hard to talk about "Reject Yourself" in detail, but basically, there's more of the heavy riffing and drums. Still there is some melody and Adam's vocals being more prominent than ever. The bridge quiets down then Howard unleashes one of his most intense screams of his career, "EYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!", all leading into a beautiful outro.

Once again, I decided to explore the special edition bonus tracks, the first of which, "Be One", being a heavy banger with more of those cleans and screams catching my attention. The next bonus track, "Let the Bridges Burn", is my favorite one. Although we have the usual clean melodies, the heavier side with those blasts and growls remind me a bit of As I Lay Dying's "Within Destruction" when performed in E-flat tuning. There's also the usual dramatic chorus and hardcore bridge. Next up, "This Fire" is another popular track. It's short while still great, striking with melodic riffing. So heavy while still catchy. Love it! The final one of all, "Holy Diver", well... Although I usually love these "metalizing" covers, it's not too bad, but kind of a misstep. Great catchy melody, yet it feels like it could've been better. It's probably just comfortable staying as a bonus track.

With lots of variation, As Daylight Dies shows the band diversifying their sound while keeping themselves firmly in metalcore. I can definitely understand its success, and it definitely took the band's direction to the next level!

Favorites: "Daylight Dies", "The Arms of Sorrow", "My Curse", "Eye of the Storm", "Break the Silence", "Reject Yourself", "Let the Bridges Burn", "This Fire"

A couple years have gone by since I started listening to Killswitch Engage full-time, and all of their albums have really grown on me. Many age well and a couple others don't. As I continue listening to The End of Heartache, their 3rd album and the first with Howard Jones on vocals, a bit of my interest in this album has worn off. Fortunately, my decision to review the special edition has made me understand its success.

The re-release that came out almost a year after the original album has several bonus tracks, a couple of which are so timeless that they can please fans in 2025 as they had in 2005. This thrashy melodic metalcore offering that would've ended up having just 4 stars in the standard edition has been brought up back to 4.5 stars here!

Starting off a bit poorly is "A Bid Farewell", which kinda comes out as repetitive in the drums, guitars, and vocals, not having much of the melody except in the chorus. But don't worry, there are greater tracks coming up... "Take This Oath" impresses me with its riffs and melodies, though I wish there was slightly more than that. At least then-former vocalist Jesse Leach has snuck in some of his own vocals. "When Darkness Falls" is a little more predictable. The instrumentation and vocals sound like they've bled from the first couple tracks. It's still good though. "Rose of Sharyn" is a greater highlight, showing how professional the band is when it comes to melodic metalcore. "Inhale" is a calm acoustic interlude before more of the heaviness storms in later tracks...

"Breathe Life" is perhaps my favorite highlight here. I love how the solo can sound beautiful without fast technicality! The title track soars through with intense emotion, especially in the breakdown. However, it should be noted that later on in the special edition, that incredible track ends up receiving a single edit appearing in the soundtrack of Resident Evil: Apocalypse, taking away all that's great about it. Glad I just commented on that version early! "Declaration" ends up falling back into the predictable trap. Same with "World Ablaze". It segues to "And Embers Rise", but adding in a second acoustic interlude is rather unnecessary.

"Wasted Sacrifice" makes up for the mistakes of the past few tracks as another one of the best tracks here, with a killer opening verse followed by awesome riffing. "Hope Is..." is a rifftastic ending track for the standard edition, featuring All That Remains' Phil Labonte. He and Leach guest appear in the first special edition bonus track, a re-recording of "Irreversal", where brutal blasts level up the intensity, defining the sound from the debut. "My Life for Yours" is a killer leftover track from the Heartache sessions.

And the rest of the re-release is that aforementioned hollow radio edit of the title track and a few live tracks. The 4.5-star rating goes to that special edition which is an amazing release for new and longtime fans. You gotta thank Roadrunner for that!

Favorites: "Take This Oath", "Rose of Sharyn", "Breathe Life", "The End of Heartache", "Wasted Sacrifice", "Hope Is...", "Irreversal", "My Life for Yours"

No disrespect to Howard Jones, he's still awesome, but if there's one member I think is the heart and soul of Killswitch Engage, it's Jesse Leach. Some of my favorite KSE albums are the ones with Leach as vocalist, especially his initial era of the band's first two albums. Too bad he had to leave the band for 10 years after this release due to health issues. Alive or Just Breathing shows his vocals at his best.

In the era where nu metal was on the rise, one band was determined to have their genre take the throne with its crushing yet melodic metalcore sound. Heavy riffing and screams battle against clean singing and melodies, a fascinating metalcore depiction of Heaven vs. Hell!

The album comes to an amazing start with "Numbered Days" with its ravaging riffs and lovely leads. "Self Revolution" is practically a Revolution anthem, and I like how after the first 30 seconds, we have a quick percussive break before more of those catchy vocal melodies. "Fixation of the Darkness" is also interesting in the chorus. The only thing that throws me off is how abruptly ends. Then it leads to one of my favorite tracks, "My Last Serenade". I think during the pandemic and its tail-end, I became more in the mood to find some bands to cure my part of that global depression. Thanks to that great boost, I'm able to appreciate masterpiece highlights like this one much more! Things continue to flow well in "Life to Lifeless". The slow acoustic intro of "Just Barely Breathing" is a bit out of line, but the rest of the song is still crushing.

"To the Sons of Man" is a shorter 2-minute hardcore track. Everything everywhere all at once kicks through in "Temple from the Within". Without an intro, the instrumentation hits you non-stop. An experience as perfect as its original version from the debut! "The Element of One" has their metalcore sound done well from the start, but I'm not sure if putting it between two re-recordings from the debut was the right move. Still I won't object. A good thrashy track, "Vide Infra" has more spoken/shouted cleans to fit with the screams. "Without a Name" is an interlude that's not too necessary but doesn't detract the album's perfect score. It segues to the beautiful closing epic "Rise Inside".

The 2005 re-release comes with many different bonus tracks, the first being another 2000 debut re-recording track "In the Unblind", with more effective mixing. The powerful screaming, guitar soloing, and drumming is a great reminder of that album's strength. "When the Balance is Broken" is a bit repetitive, and if this ended up in the standard edition, the perfect 5-star rating would end up losing a half-star. Same with the acoustic instrumental "Untitled and Unloved".

And the rest of the re-release is just demos, a re-recording with Howard Jones on vocals, and some studio outtakes. The 5-star rating goes to the standard edition that is a masterpiece so beautiful and brutal at the same time. Recommended to all Revolution members!

Favorites: "Numbered Days", "Self Revolution", "My Last Serenade", "Just Barely Breathing", "Temple from the Within", "Rise Inside", "In the Unblind"