Another BreathIt seems like every time I get some new promos from Rivalry it's always quality. They have a knack for releasing some of the best melodic hardcore has to offer before the bigger labels pick them up.
I'm ashamed of myself for not checking out these guys from Fulton, NY sooner. I really missed the boat with their 2004 release of the "Not Now, Not Ever" EP. Even though after listening to this, I'm sure the EP will pale in comparison according to the press sheet which says this is a step up in every department over their previous material.
Just as with most of the releases that Rivalry puts out, these guys play melodic influenced hardcore, but these guys are little more straight forward in their approach. They have the melodic parts but they never slow down or drag, the pulse of the song is always moving forward due greatly in part because of the great drum work provided. Song after song on this 15 track album these guys tear through each successive track with no let up, giving you everything they have throughout the 35 minutes the album lives.
Lyrically, this album absolutely fucking kill it in every regard. Good themes? Check. Sincerity? Check. Execution? Check. I like how everything eventually ties into the theme of being in hell during your mid twenties but there are some songs that slightly deviate from that. Like the song "Coward" for instance, which is about people who go to shows for nothing other than to start shit for no reason. The song idea has been done so many times I've lost count, but these lines are better than most; "There are so many problems that we come here to escape but find you looking for a fight. We've had enough of you. Your cheap shots only separate you. You hide behind your reputation but we see through. Yeah, you say you have nothing to prove. Show's over coward. We'll expose you for what you are." Other great songs include; "Sincerity" which is about people who can only convey how they feel through alcohol, "I'm Pro-You Shutting The Fuck Up", is about people who have no place spouting their stances on certain issues because after all the hardest thing they've had to do is drive mommy and daddy's Benz, and "Marla", which is about the fucked up standards the media portrays to today's youth, this song also contains my favorite line of the album , "Fill my fucking lungs with concrete. Force-feed me unforgiving honesty. Prove to me that I would rather breathe through broken teeth than suffocate behind a facade." I'm loving everything about these albums lyrics.
This was recorded at God City Studios by the highly praised Kurt Ballou, who as of late has been producing some stunning efforts. This one is no different, he tip toes the line between polished and raw and it sounds fucking great. The guitar was mixed nicely, just the right amount of crunch and punch. The bass fills out the album nicely, rolling about in the background leaving little to be desired. The drum tone was done by Alex Garcia-Riveria and it sounds great. It's a nice dense tone with good pop, no little annoyances like too much echo. The vocals are good, sometimes I wish they were just a tad louder. Other than that Kurt Ballou and team has left with little to complain about.
The layout concept is very slick and effective; it utilizes black and white with shades of grey to display buildings that seem to be placed in between film roll. The first page opens up to display a combination of the front and back covers with a white box of text with a quote from Jack Kerouac describing the main theme of the record, on top of that is a brief description of the band's history. Fold them pages open and you find the lyrics displayed over darkly silhoutted images of the "mill" city. All in all, very cool and ties into the theme of record perfectly.
Rating: 4/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: Jailbreak, Marla, and Anchors
Thesis: I really enjoyed everything about this album. The music is good, of course it's nothing groundbreaking but it more than holds it own musically, and the lyrics alone are worth picking this album up, plus the artwork is the frosting on the cake. In the end it slightly reminded me of Modern Life Is War because of the lyrics, but the music isn't as up to that level. Either way, this is worth picking up.