Reviews list for All That Remains - This Darkened Heart (2004)

In early 2000, All That Remains recorded their melodeath first album, Behind Silence and Solitude (not released until 2002). Then over 3 years later, in late 2003, the band began recording another album, and while it's still mostly melodeath, some parts foreshadow the metalcore sound that would dominate some of their later albums, including D tuning, clear production, breakdowns, and clean vocals. This Darkened Heart, released in 2004, is basically an album with melodeath and metalcore mixed together!

This album has both similarities and differences compared to the band's first album. The tone has been change to be a little brighter, with the guitars tuned up to D tuning. Behind Silence and Solitude was played in B tuning, which again I'm not sure about because of the DROP B tuning in their recent heavy/metalcore albums. There's even some improvement to the production, handled by Adam Dutkiewicz from Killswitch Engage, making this album sound much less murky. There are also metalcore breakdowns in most songs that fit well, along with vocalist Phil Labonte using lower growls, medium-range screams, and higher shrieks, and for the first time, clean vocals.

The opening track "And Death in My Arms" begins with an acoustic intro before the awesome extreme action kicks in. "The Deepest Gray" has a double-edge sword in vocals with one edge being the rough grunts and screams and the other edge being the melodic clean vocals. Labonte's clean vocals come in during the chorus at the same time as low grunts and high screams.

"Vicious Betrayal" has a more speed-oriented flow with outstanding guitar riffs. Labonte's higher screaming halfway through really mixes things up a bit, along with a better guitar solo that the last track. "I Die in Degrees" is heavier with mostly heavy guitar riffs, then there's a slower, more melodic section with emotional solos. A nice balance of heavy and melodic. "Focus Shall Not Fail" is the progressive 6-minute epic of the album. The song starts with a slow intro then builds up speed with some growling and screaming verses along with nicely done clean vocals in the chorus. Yeah, clean vocals!! Then it segues to "Regret Not", which despite being an instrumental, is actually one of the album's better songs, starting and ending acoustically, with a raging guitar section in between.

This kind of riff structure continues in "Passion", not the best but still good. It has a little more of Labonte's clean vocals and a steady solo. "For Salvation" sounds dark, with Labonte continuing his harsh vocals in the speedy verses while delivering some more outstanding clean singing in the chorus. "Tattered On My Sleeve" has a groove/death metal intro, but Labonte's screaming makes the sound stay stable. Interestingly, the guitar really matches the vocals. Then there's an acoustic twist halfway through. A little unexpected and confusing, but the good short guitar solo really makes up for it. Then some more emotional clean singing and melodic instrumental work. The title track has some sharp slow groove elements with powerful palm-muted guitars and bass along with hellbent harsh vocals throughout. It really sounds good and not at all repetitive, despite its short length. A fitting way to close the album!

Overall, This Darkness Heart is musically a midway point between the melodeath Behind Silence and Solitude and the metalcore Fall of Ideals, and it keeps the best qualities the former while introducing the greatness of the latter. This is probably the band's best album to not reach 5 full stars. Both melodeath listeners and fans of metalcore and the band since Overcome may want to check it out. But after This Darkened Heart, the band's darkened side would almost never see the light of day again....

Favorites: And Death In My Arms, I Die In Degrees, Focus Shall Not Fail, For Salvation, Tattered On My Sleeve