The Word Alive - Dark Matter - Review

So, the time has come for a brand new The Word Alive record. The band formed in 2008 and are currently signed to Fearless Records. Their brand new album titled "Dark Matter" is their 4th studio record.

There's always a mixed air when a band you love releases a new record. A mixture of nervousness that the record you've waited two years for will be a total flop and the excitement that it could just be your next favourite record ever. For me, this release does not quite hit either extremes. It's big and bold and takes on a sound that definitely screams maturity from the sounds observed on "Real." and "Life Cycles".  One thing I will point out is their is definitely darker sound to this record, for me. Songs like "Trapped" and "Grunge" seem to touch darker subjects than you're likely to find on their previous showings.

Now, The Word Alive have always been your run-of-the-mill metalcore outfit and have never really strayed too far from that tag but I couldn't help notice that track 5 "Insane" seemed to lean a little in the direction of new age Linkin Park at least instrumentally. It's mellow synths and huge chorus' would make Chester Bennington proud.

For this writer, one of the only down points of the record is that it, sort of, "peters out". In other words it gets a little boring towards the end making, what was actually a pretty good record, less than memorable. The final track "Oxy" repeats the line "What have I done?" so often it begs the question did Telle run out of lyrics by the end of this album.

Rating: 7/10
Favorite Song: Grunge

By Thommy Lea

Asking Alexandria - The Black - Review

The birth of a brand new era.. That's what Asking Alexandria were hoping for with the release of their fourth studio record "The Black". Drama has seemed to follow the English metalcore quintent in the past few years, seemingly because of the attitude of their noutorious, now ex, frontman Danny Worsnop however since his departure in January 2015 and the introduction of ex Down & Dirty vocalist Denis Shaforostov "Stoff", the Asking Alexandria faithful have been eagerly awaiting what has looked to be the most anticipated metalcore record yet.

Asking released three, music video accompanied, singles prior to the release of the album. "I Won't Give In" was first off of the bat, a powerful track insighting that the band refuses to give up, fall apart or break down after the departure of Danny. The huge chorus "Every step you take, I watch you slip away//You're slowly killing yourself, I won't give in" seems to refer to Worsnop's alcohol fueled lifestyle and promoting the band's strength. Denis' vocals and the sound of the song itself were generally well received by fans and critics alike.
Title track "The Black" and "Let It Sleep" were the second and third singles respectively released. They set the tone and pace for what the record as a whole would sound like. With a more "grown up" metalcore sound that evaded the traditional "open chord breakdown" post-hardcore sound that had accompanied most of their first two records "Stand Up and Scream" and "Reckless & Relentless". Asking Alexandria also released "Undivided" and a rock mix of "Here I Am" as singles before "The Black"'s official release, without music videos.

Coincidently perhaps, the album opens with the three singles. "Let It Sleep" opens up delivering a message that perhaps lyricist Ben Bruce was unhappy at the time with dark tones to match. The title track "The Black" follows theme, dark tones about feeling deserted and a glitch infested chorus. After the anthem boosted sing-a-long third track "I Won't Give In" Asking fans finally get to hear something new in the form of "Sometimes It Ends" which features clippings from interviews with Ben Bruce talking about his experience with Denis helping him to overcome Danny's departure and re-writing lyrics for the record. The song itself ironically is a hate fueled rage release with powerful screams from Denis. Seems to follow the suit of "I Wont Give In" with a huge chorus about being stronger than before. Track 5 is titled The Lost Souls". This track starts to show the diversity of the band's sound. The guitar work takes on a lot more of a hard rock tone of the likes of Avenged Sevenfold & Bullet For My Valentine. Nothing particularly special about the message another "I'm so alone" style track. Track 6 "Just A Slave To Rock 'N Roll" is exactly what it says in the title. Hard rock guitar riffs and rhythems that would make Motley Crue proud. With that in mind Denis doesn't abandon the screaming vocal style up until the chorus. The song is the first time on the record that the band abandon the angry, deserted message and deliver a powerful "moving on" message instead. This integrity is much more intense than before, leaving you thinking F**K YEAH. Track 7 "Send Me Home" slows the tempo and reaches to the heart strings. A ballad about the life of touring and how lonely it can be. It does rise to a powerful guitar filled melancholy before ending the way it started. Track 8 "We'll Be Okay" kicks off with ambient sounding synths and clean vocals before kicking into an "Old-school Asking Alexandria" metalcore sound very remeniscent of "To The Stage". For anyone wanting a trip down memory lane this song is for you. The ninth track is the single "Here I Am" A slow rock ballad primarily clean vocals delivering the message that they're done hating and ready to take over the world. I would argue that the lyric "We are the voice of a generation" comes across somewhat arrogant however deserved it may be. Track 10 comes across as a kind of orchestral interlude style song. Ben Bruce takes over on the vocals. "Gone" is a song that comes from the depths of his soul, a real tear jerker. If you're sensitive or prone to crying, go careful with this one. Track 11 - "Undivided" revisits the hatred obviously pointed towards Danny Worsnop. Picking up the pace and returning to fast paced drums, metalcore style riffs and basically exactly what you'd expect from any band in this scene of music. Ben takes a moment to exude all of his real anger over what seems to be a guitar solo - "How can you be the voice of a generation when the only voice you listen to is in your own f*cking head?". Over the years, no matter what has happened to this band, one thing has always remained true. Asking Alexandria love to party and that remains iminent from the 12th and final track on this record. "Circled By Wolves" starts off with "Woo! Fuck Yeah!" before the track drops. It speaks of how they're starting over despite people expecting them, maybe even wanting them, to fall. The song has an edgy amount of profanity in it which suggest they really are done caring about what people think..

Overall I would say this a huge step up from all of their previous works. Asking Alexandria are back with a bang with Denis Stoff at the helm. They're diverse, attacking and all out much better than they have been before. Danny who? Whether you were an Asking fan or not, this is definitely a must hear record!

Asking Alexandria, they're back and they're better than ever.

9/10

By Thommy Lea

A Couple of Short Reviews

Hey guys and gals, I apologize for there being a lack of reviews last month.  That month through had been stressful and I didn't have much time to exactly think about writing.  So, since there's quite a few things to write this month, I'm going to go down my list of reviews I was going to write and give them to you and summarized form. Let's get started!

• After The Burial - Dig Deep: I admire After The Burial's style, and this release brings a lot to the table.  I asked my friend what he thought as well, and his reply was a little bit off at the start until a few tracks on where he and I agree the album really started going.  I liked the starting racks myself though,  not as much as the rest of the album, but of course your and my opinions will very as we all know.  Still though, if your a fan of After The Burial, this is definitely something you need to listen to!  8/10

~ Hands Like Houses - Dissonants: Alright, this is probably one of my favorites from last month.  I'm going to put my favorite track already and say that it's Division Symbols, which to me, had o e of the catchiest choruses on the album,  All the dongs have their own special place in my heart, but the song itself has a feel that everyone feels sometimes against people in their life, where feelings of frustration lie in hopes of release. Love this album.  9/10

~ Blood of the Martyrs - Endgame: Blood of the Martyrs has really grown up from their early releases, not that those were bad in the least.  I have to admit that this is quite different than the past though, pretty much dropping the symphonics and going for a metalcore feel, also adding in cleans.  Even though I was a fan of the symphonics,  I must say they have great cleans.  8/10

~ Adept - Sleepless: I have to give props to Adept.  Well, then and a lot of bands.  I respect bands that have really worked to where they have gotten to.  Unfortunately, this album wasn't the top of my list this time.  Not that it wasn't good, because it really is a great release. It just wasn't my favorite, and that's fine.    7/10

Thanks for keeping with the blog, all!

His Statue Falls - Polar - Review

It brings me great pleasure to have heard this album.  From the moment I was shown it, I knew that I would absolutely love it, and I was right.  

If you haven't heard of His Statue Falks, or haven't listened to them before, that's a shame and you should really go check them out.  Like, after you read this review, for instance. They are amazing and are one of my favorite metalcore/post-hardcore bands to have electronics to go with it.  Jan Vergin and Dennis Fries both complement each other with their screams and cleans (and now rapping once in a while, which is fantastic,) and even the older albums before Jan came in were absolutely beautiful with jams I still hold close to my heart.  

Alright, love them,  I've gotten that through.  Now!  I'm going to talk about the album.

Let's start off with the fact that all the tracks are strong in my eyes on this album.  My personal favorites are FTW and Hang Me High, not only because they have great rap parts, and fantastic cleans (as every track has) but because I love the electronics as well, and His Statue Falls surely excels at that, always catchy. Of course I can't forget to say that the screams and growls are amazing as well.  They always have been and Jan is amazing at them. Dennis, Sebastian, and Michael have come forward as well on guitars and bass, as has Markus, their drummer.  It's hard for me to have anything negative at all to say about this album, because I really can't think of anything.

This whole album is amazing, and I can't say enough that whoever is reading this should go check them out (and this album, of course) out.

10/10

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

Before Their Eyes - Midwest Modesty - Review

 Last time I heard a Before Their Eyes album, it was 2012 and Redemption had came out.  I loved each album before that but Redemption had claimed a whole new spot in my heart, even though I hadn't thought it to be the best idea to bring Breathe Carolina in for vocals on Dream at first, in my opinion they proved to be a great effort in their discography.  Then after, I was waiting for the next Before Their Eyes album, but nothing.  I wasn't upset.  I was just wondering what was going on.

This year, however, a new light was brought into fruition when later in the end of last year, news of an album, formerly called "II" was talked of.  I was so excited that I wanted to hear the first single that came out.  But earlier last year, news came out that the new album was still coming out, under a different, more creative name, Midwest Modesty.  and I was excited as I had ever been.  I didn't know what to expect, but that was the point.  Before Their Eyes always steps up and brings something new out for the fans to listen to, and they do that straight from the heart.  So as soon as I saw that it was out, I immediately wanted to listen to it.

Well, that's enough of past ramblings for now.  Midwest Modesty is an amazing album, there's no doubt about that.  Nick Moore's vocals have grown since Resemption, and from the starting track, "It's Dark Inside With You", his vocals soar into the fruition that I was hoping for.   It doesnt feel exactly as heavy as Redemption, but that's okay.  Midwest Modesty is certainly an album with a different sound and that's wonderful.

It's wonderful to know that Craig Owens co-wrote and helped produce this album, knowing that he has such an awesome sound to whatever he does, be it Chiodos or Solo Stuff, plus D.R.U.G.S., so him doing this album is perfect.

The instrumentals are amazing as well.  As I said in the previous parts of this review, they aren't as heavy in some parts, but that doesn't matter.  The guitars are at their prime, as well as the drums, and they can only get more and more awesome when the next album comes out.  Of course, adding Nick's well known singing adds to the life of the album.  From track to track, different sounds are heard and a sound can be found for each listener if they give the album a chance. I'm quite sure you will get one of these catchy songs stuck in your head, and probably love this album from beginning to end.  I know that I did.

8/10

The Ultimate Breakdown's Favorite 10 albums of 2015

You've probably noticed that this isn't a "Top 10" list, and that's no mistake in my mind.  I intentionally wrote this list this way because putting these albums in order wouldn't be an easy task in my mind to do.  So, I've created my favorites list.  Let's get started!

• ICE NINE KILLS - Every Trick in the Book:  Most people who come to this site will see that I just finished my review of the newest INK album, and absolutely loved it from start to finish.  The band makes quality records every time, and this is certainly no exception.  If you've loved them before, I'm fairly sure that you'll love them now!
• The Plot In You - Happiness In Self Destruction: I love The Plot In You.  There are bands out there that I'm not afraid to admit don't write songs that are true to their hearts, and even if you aren't a fan of these guys, they write what is true to them, most of the lyrics in these songs coming from things that happened in their lives, from losing someone that they were close to to having problems with addictions.  This emotional fueled metal at it's best.
• Fallstar - Future Golden Age:  My review of this phenomenal band's album went up onto here on the 13th, and is filled with... well, feelings.  There are songs that have to do with different things, from love for every one to occult traditions of older times.  These guys are amazing and need to be listened to, so I highly recommend that you give this a listen to this album of theirs, and their past releases, when you get the chance.
• Get Scared - Demons:  Oh, Demons, Nicholas Matthews and the rest of Get Scared has crafted an amazing album of songs that also have to deal with addiction and a bit of resentment towards someone.  This album further adds to what makes this band great, with Nick and his bandmates bringing themselves to the next level and making me smile with this new album.
• We Butter The Bread With Butter - Weider geil!:  You might have heard of this band and looked away from the silly sounding name, but don't turn your back to them, because this album (and of course, their past albums) will make you smile.  My best friend talked about how most of their songs aren't in English, and that's true, This album, though, changes that up qite a bit, there are three or four songs that are in complete English.  The electronics in this album are also great.  SO, where you speak German, or don't, you're bound to get some good fun out of this release!
• Haste The Day - Coward:  It's been quite a while before 2015 that people had heard anything from Haste The Day.  It was 2010 to be exact when Attack of the Wolf King came out, bringing it's metalcore onslaught to those loving.  Coward is no different, but bringing past members back to produce one of the best albums to listen to this year.  If you haven't listened to them before, now would be the time to do that!
• Between The Buried And Me - Coma Ecliptic: When it comes to music, most of what I listen to is Post-Hardcore, Metalcore, Deathcore... The Works of the hardcore genres and subgenres, but make no mistake that I also love my rock and metal.  and one of my favorite Prog Metal albums of this year is Coma Ecliptic.  If you haven't heard this album yet, here's the synopsis:  (SPOILER ALERT) This album is about a man who goes into a coma, and goes over his past lives.  This is a concept album, as you have just read, like The Parallax albums.  This album is art in it's greatest metal form.
• Phinehas - Till the End:  Phinehas' third album, Till the End, brings them to Artery Recordings, and brings their music to the next level.  Songs like White Livered bring this "Heavy Duty Mustache Metal" to my favorite list, with both vocals & instrumentals being put out for the world to hear.  They change up their style a little bit with each album.
• Bring Me The Horizon - That's the Spirit: Now, this album has divided fans, just a little bit.  Most of the people that listened to Oli Sykes and the rest of the guys in this band got a little flustered when they left their heavy sound for a softer, alternative metal side with some electronics to it.  That doesn't make it bad though.  If the album itself doesn't catch you at first, than the ironic album artwork for the title should get you.  This album is filled with catchy and uplifting lyrics.
• Ghost Town - Evolution:  I'm a big fan of Ghost Town, and know they might not be on everyone's list.  With every song that this band writes though, they are different, this album especially.  Songs like Spark, Mean Kids, and Human are examples of what style you'll see in this album.  If you look to put these guys on a box, well I'm afraid you won't be able to in their entirety, they would fit into a synth-heavy post-hardcore kind of feel though.  If that hasn't gotten you to take a listen yet, check out their older albums too.

I hope you enjoyed reading off this list of my 10 favorites, and that maybe your list will have bands in common with my own.  If not, that's perfectly fine, these were just my opinions.  I admit that there were ones that I wanted to put down, We Came As Romans' Self-Titled and For Today's Wake included, but then I think the list would be a little bit longer than my readers would think.  

Happy Holidays and also a Happy New Year to you all.

ICE NINE KILLS - Every Trick in the Book - Review

From release to release, ICE NINE KILLS are sure a band to listen to as they change up the style of their music.  From pop-punk and ska, to post-hardcore and metalcore, you can know that each album will put something new out for you to enjoy. Their fourth full-length has a lot of potential and has used it well.

The first thing I would love to say about Every Trick in the Book is the concept that each of the songs on this album is based on a piece of literature.  Some songs are relatively on the simple side to figure out such as Me, Myself, & Hyde (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde) or Star-Crossed Enemies (Romeo & Juliet), while others have the stories you figure out by listening to the song through.

The instrumentals on this album are very theatric, which goes perfect with this album.  They are exceptional on tracks like The Nature of the Beast and Communion of the Cursed.  Spencer and JD's vocals both are as amazing as ever. To add to the perfection, with Justin on Bass and Cinor on drums, the album is flawless in story telling.

If you have a love for theatrics, rock, and metal, this is definitely an album to listwn to.

10/10

Fallstar - Future Golden Age - Review

I heard the band Fallstar a few years back, when they were signed to Facedown Records and produced the incredible album Backdraft.  That album featured both uplifting and awesome lyrics that anyone could get into, and the instrumentals you could headbang easily to.  Their new album was released on their own record label, and brings more to the table.

So after seeing that Fallstar was going to release the album Future Golden Age, things got exciting.  The song that they had released to YouTube had the case shook description that included being for fans of Donnie Darko and Star Wars, which only continued my excitement.  Further down the road, to the 8th, the album was released on their Bandcamp under their own record label, Rat Family Records.

I'm going to start off by saying the genre where this album would be placed is hard to categorize, as there are mixes of hip-hop and metalcore.  But of course, we can't forget to add to the mix the excellent post-hardcore that is brought into play in the album.  The best way to describe this band in my opinion is to simply call them heavy.  Because that is where they belong, as they have also described themselves.  From the intro track "What Roberta Sparrow Said" which starts off our ears off with a wonderful rap starter, to the ending track "Outro", it is clear that each track has a different sound to it, and lyrics that can touch hearts, no matter what path of life you travel.

The instrumentals are amazing as well, from the fantastc vocals and drumming, to the brutal guitar work, and the catchy electronic riffs that make the album complete.

This is an album I highly recommend listening to.

10/10