This is the sixth full-length studio album from the band from Nashville, Tennessee. It has been released on the 27th of October last year. They started back in 2002 when they were friends with a passion for music. Barry Blair, the drummer from Audio Adrenaline heard their music and invited them to record. The sound of the band is inspired by Linkin Park, Sevendust and Chevelle because they liked the emotional-driven music.
This album really follows in the footsteps of their album Of Beauty and Rage. The sound is still a bit of the sound of their first few albums, but is more infused with electronic music. The song Step Inside, the Violence starts off with a heavy riff. Than it gets slower but keeps the feeling of the song. The main sound at the couplets are drums and electronics. That makes a great contrast when the guitar part comes in. Also Still Alive is one of the heavier songs on the album. It starts off with a sound that reminds me of Throne from Bring Me The Horizon. It is kind of heavy sounding but it feels softer with the kind of pop sound. Though the bridge makes it sound kind of creepy. This song still keeps the heavy sound by the grunting of Barnes. The song I’m the least pleased with is Gone. This is a song that makes me long for a album from their beginning years. I understand that the band wants to move forward and I have respect for them to do so, but I loved their music from the first albums. That brings me to the song Fractured. This makes a welcome appearance. After 3 calmer songs, this song smashes like a hammer. The intro does remind me a lot of the sound Korn has. It sounds creepy and heavy at the same time. The guitar riff is just so powerful and in addition to the drums a welcome sound. This song takes me a bit back to the older albums. It is a mix of their new sound and their old sound, which keeps both sides satisfied.
To be honest, this album is not my favorite album from them, but it keeps their own sound. I’m not that big a fan of bands that change their sound, but I get why they would. It’s fun to try something new and might be de way to move forward. I think this album could reach a wider audience and this band really deserves it. Not only their massage is positive, but their passion and talent is something that speaks through their music. That is the most important thing. It’s a great album for people who are new to the band but also an interesting album for older fans. People who like bands like Linkin Park and Icon For Hire might like this album.
Rating: 7.5
Written by Joshua
Track list:
1. Step Inside, the Violence
2. Still Alive
3. Losing Control
4. Gone
5. Coming Apart
6. Unstoppable
7. Fracture
8. Chasing Your Echo
9. A.I
10. Singularity
11. The Mask Slips Away
12. Still Alive (Looking for a Reason)
13. Gone (JSapp Remix)
14. Unstoppable (Redux Version)
15. Step Inside, the Violence (Alex Nice Remix)
16. Coming Apart (Deconstructed)
17. Gone (.grav3s Version)
Discography:
“End of Silence” (2006)
“Innocence & Instinct” (2009)
“Until We Have Faces” (2011)
“Release the Panic” (2013) [review]
“of Beauty and Rage” (2015) [review]
Record Label: Essential Records, Oct. 2017
Band members:
Michael Barnes – Vocals
Anthony Armstrong – Guitar
Randy Armstrong – Drums
Weblinks: Website / Facebook / Twitter / PledgeMusic
Buy the album here:
Holland: First Paradox
Norway: Nordic Mission
Video for ‘Gone’
Video (audio) for ‘Losing Control’
Video (audio) for ‘Still Alive’