If you have never listened to Emery, then you’ve missed out on some great music for the past 11 years. Their unique sound is influenced by a wide variety of genres such as post-hardcore, alternative rock, and -arguably- emo. Some feel that their debut album “The Weak’s End” is their best work, while others claim that they got better with every album. The band doesn’t specifically identify as a christian band, to avoid the stigma that comes with it. But all the members are openly christian, and the lyrics show this on a regular basis. Emery seeks to spread art and love, and has gained a lot of respect for this from both christian and secular audiences. After four years of hard work, including creating their own label, they released their newest album “You Were Never Alone”.
The first song “Rock, Pebble, Stone” begins pretty mellow. Vocal harmonies, and clean guitars in the background. The song will feel welcoming and familiar to any Emery fan, in a good way. The thing I’ve always liked about Emery is their ability to make softer songs, while their sound as a band remains relatively consistent. That is not an easy thing to achieve. The band matures with each album, but also seems to get more creative. Something else that stands out to me, is the bass guitar. It’s very audible, and doesn’t disappear into the background. That is a very positive thing in my book. It is a pretty upbeat song, and a very accesible start for their album.
Emery announced that “Thrash” would be their heaviest song on the album. From start to finish, it is one chaotic masterpiece. It begins with heavy, distorted guitars and a fiercely screaming Toby. Even though the band has mostly a pretty upbeat sound, this song has a more overall antagonistic sound. After the first half, the song slows down. Now, we’re treated with harmonic clean vocals, allowing us to catch our breath after that rollercoaster ride.
The fourth song “The Beginning” also starts off pretty mellow, with clean guitars and singing. I’ve never been able to put a finger on Emery’s sound. They are always chasing creative sounds, and always try to do something new. Emery isn’t the kind of band that just repeats their albums. After the first half, the song picks up its pace, and Toby’s unclean vocals come in, backing up his clean vocals.
“Taken for a Bath” is filled with a ton of variety. The unclean vocals and the clean vocals are both at the top of their game in this song. Sometimes you’ll hear them simultaneously, and other times they’ll alternate. But they never become bothersome. The screaming isn’t there just for the sake of screaming, but to back the clean vocals up, making the words more powerful.
Overall: This album is another step in Emery’s journey for creativity. The band has always tried to keep a fresh sound, and they’ve succeeded in my eyes. They kept the good elements of their previous works, and improved on those. They also introduced some new elements, but never to the extent that the sound will feel unfamiliar.
Rating: 8/10
Written by Geert Prins
Tracklist:
1. Rock, Pebble, Stone
2. Thrash
3. Hard Times
4. The Beginning
5. The Less You Say
6. Pink Slip
7. To The Deep
8. What’s Stopping You
9. Go Wrong Young Man
10. Taken for a Bath
11. Salvatore Wryhta
12. Alone
Band members:
Toby Morell – Lead Vocals
Matt Carter – Guitars, Backup Vocals, Bass
Devin Shelton – Vocals
Dave Powell – Drums, Percussions
Discography:
“The Weak’s End” (2004)
“The Question” (2005)
“I’m Only A Man” (2007)
“While Broken Hearts Prevail” (2008)
“…In Shallow Seas We Sail” 2009)
“We Do What We Want” (2011)
“You Were Never Alone” (2015)
Record Label: BadChristian, May 2015
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission
Video below: ‘The Beginning’