Rival Choir - I Believe, Help My Unbelief -Review

Facedown Records is probably one of the best group of bands in a label.  Not that they have the most popular bands out there. But whenever I looked at reviews of their band's albums, the scores were usually pretty high up there.  One of the most interesting bands I listened to on their roster was Mouth of the South.  It's not because of their beliefs, because to me that never really mattered.  They have stories to tell and the out a lot of passion into their songs.  They called themselves "Progressive Ministry Metal", and to me that was an interesting way to look at their music.  One day though, after the album Struggle Well came out, I looked them up and found out that they had changed their name.

That's where we start now.  Mouth of the South changed up their style and their name.  Then and changed into Rival Choir, and took up a new form with a post-hardcore/Metalcore style, which I must say, really fits them, and makes me smile looking how far they've come.  

This album has its amazing hooks that entice and clean choruses that speak of life lessons and personal trials that (hopefully) most people can connect with in some way, no matter what they believe in,  Lyle's significant voice as strong as ever.  The guitar work, bass and all, can be chaotically beautiful in its onslaught.  

There's something special about this sort of debut from Rival Choir.  It's magnificent.

8/10

Panic! at the Disco - Death of a Bachelor - Review

(So I meant to have this done on the day the album came out, but I wasn't feeling right at the moment with the album.  I'm back though.  Time to get this done!)

Well, I never thought that I'd be doing a review for Panic! at the Disco.  Not that they aren't good, it's just that bands of the hardcore and metal scenes are more my style and what I love.

I remember back in the days when A Fever You Can't Sweat out had come out in 2005, bringing the famous earworm "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" was pushed into the ears of many, and became an instant hit.  When I look back now it seemed just as casual radio rock, but still it's a song that is fun to sing along with and act out.  (No judging, please.)

ANYWHO.  Death of a Bachelor surely is an interesting album.  At some points it's a rock album, but a lot of it tends towards hip-hop styles.  Not that hip-hop is bad, especially from a band that mixes up their doubts with each album that they put out.  Songs like Victorious really bring out the hip-hop, while tracks like Golden Days and Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time bring out the rock in the album... Sort of.  Now I don't think it's bad.  It's rock, just more electronic rock.

The guitars are great, as are the drums, but we all know, if we've all heard it, that Brendon Urie's vocals thrive on through the album as usual, creating earworms a plenty.

For a Panic! at the Disco album, this is alright.  You all know by what I post, that I love hardcore and metal genres more than anything, but I thought I'd put some words in for this.

7/10

Abandon All Ships for a Minute

So, I'm going to be working on a review today, but as you could probably tell from the title, I'm going to be talking about Abandon All Ships, who you might be either rocky about or really like them, based on your feelings starting from Geeving upwards to what everyone thought were their final songs from the Malocchio.  If you don't like them, I'm sorry, but this is just something I wanted to talk about.

I never much minded what I had heard from them, Geeving was kinda my jam out of school, and I would sing along with the lyrics, even while people hated on the fact that Martin Broda auto-tuned his brilliant voice and Angelo Aita was beginning get his scream's precision.  With 2012, we heard Infamous which was also interesting, Broda letting go of the old way.  But with 2014 brought some bad news, when a few months after Malocchio, which really had the best electronics from Sebastian Nunez, came out and stole my heart, the band announced that they were breaking up.  This kinda broke my heart even though a bunch of people that I knew didn't like them at all.

It's 2016 now, but of course you already knew that.  Geeving has turned 5, (well it did last year in October,) and so the band released news that they would be returning with their original lineup, and also released a new song, called Loafting.  In a way, this new track reminds me of Geeving, with the auto-tuned lyrics having returned.  My friend and I were talking and I know that the auto-tune could have been gone, and the song still be as great, but I was happy to hear the song anyway.

With questions of them getting back together again, this should be interesting.

My Dear Addiction - Kill the Silence - Review

I'm going to start off with telling you that I haven't really listened to My Dear Addiction until now.  Not that I don't like them, just that I haven't really tried them until now.  I have to say, though, that they are amazing. Kill The Silence has a sound different than I have heard from other bands, it reminds me of Demon Hunter, but has something more to it that makes it more original.  Whatever it is, I'm totally loving it.

Kill the Silence kicks off this ride of an album with it's title track.  It has an electronic beginning, but then only seconds in it goes to it's amazing guitars. The listener will be able to hear how much time has been put into each song, the effort and passion are absolutely phenomenal, especially with songs like A Promise and Face It and Rewind.  The guitars are both enhanced in may songs by steady electronics making for enjoyment and flow.  The drums are something to admire as well.  They have a tendency to switch between blasting beats ans mellow feelings, which is all just brough together by the vocalist's voice, excelling at both screaming and singing.

I apologize for this not being my most lengthy review, but this album is very high on my like lists.  If you haven't listened to My Dear Addiction before, this is definitely an album to start with.  It has a sound for what you are looking for.

8/10