The Reason-Ravenna
(Smallman Records, 2004)

Treading somewhere between straight ahead rock and screamo, The Reason can be utterly savage one minute and jangly and calm the next. The opening track is full of screaming, heavy riffs and a healthy dose of melody. The second track is much more jangly and somewhat in the vein of Small Brown Bike or Hot Water Music. The band manages to tread the line between each style and uses each to great lengths. When the screaming and clean vocals are used in the same songs it makes for an excellent contrast that really rises above the common use of it. You’ve heard it a million times before, but it works much better then the average band when The Reason does it.

One surprising thing I always read is comparisons between this band and Moneen, and that is so far off base that it’s just ridiculous. Moneen is much more melodic with interweaving guitars, longer songs and more complicated structures. The Reason isn’t simple by any stretch, but they have more in common with Hot Water Music, or possibly even Boy Sets Fire from time to time then they do with Moneen. Seeing that two bands play together wouldn’t be completely out of place, but saying they are very similar is definitely not a true statement.

There’s something very rhythmic about this band. The music is very rock based at times, but I’m thinking more along the lines of vocal patterns. They fit the music perfectly and hardly ever feel forced or typical in anyway. The backup screams are placed perfectly as well and add the perfect amount of aggression without becoming overbearing.

The Reason are a band poised for big things. This record is bound to put their name on the map very quickly and you’ll definitely want to jump aboard. This is one of the best melodic bands to come along since Hot Water Music.

Unreal Overflows-Point of a New Departure
(Independent, 2004)

I actually received this demo quite sometime ago, but for some reason it always seems to work it’s way to the bottom of the pile of cds I have to review. But every time I listen to it I’m completely blown away by the professionalism shown by this independent band. My main exposure to bands from Spain has been death metal, but while this is heavy and has gruff vocals calling it death metal would be cutting it very short. I’d call it something more along the lines of progressive thrash with hints of death metal and power metal. It’s melodic, full of intricate riffing, but still has gruff vocals and a good sense of speed.

There is definitely a bit of melody running throughout the bands sound. If you stretched, you could almost say that some of it was Swedish influenced, but it’s not the typical sounding Gothenburg melodies. They have a more epic feel and are a bit more thought out then just super fast thrash riffs. The songs themselves are quite lengthy and go through numerous different feels but still manage to flow very well.

For being a cdr demo this sounds quite good. The guitars are thick and the vocals are very powerful. I think an overall thicker sound might have helped as would have a bit more drum presence. But this lets the band show what they have to offer and doesn’t hinder them from coming across as a very tight professional metal band that really doesn’t fit into any of the stereotypes of any sub genres.

These guys are basically playing a style that isn’t very commercial within the metal genre. Will they succeed? If there is any labels that still put out quality metal then yes, they definitely should land themselves with a record deal. A band like this would totally be at home with The End, Cruz Del Sur or any like minded label.

Halfway Home-A Brand New Subdivision
(The Death Scene Records, 2004)

This is easily one of the best debut albums to come across my desk in a very long time. My Desk? Almost makes me sound like a professional. Anyway, Halfway Home are essentially what you’d call a melodic rock band drawing influences equally from The Get Up Kids as they do Thursday. They throw around a lot of upbeat chord progression, octave melodies and even a few twin guitar lines. It’s a style that may sound familiar but they bring enough originality to the table to make this band a candidate to become one of the biggest bands in the genre.

You know the biggest assumption anyone can make is that it’s always the biggest names in music that write the best music. Because I have to tell you, these guys can write memorable tunes like it’s nobody’s business. Songs aren’t watered down for the sake of catchiness either. The songs have strong vocal melodies that push the songs along while creative guitar lines punctuate the melodies and add a layer of aggression tot he mix. Now don’t take aggression the wrong way, this isn’t heavy and not fast at all. Certain tempos are much more driving through, and the speed does get a bit faster bringing to mind pop punk at times.

I find that this band is actually quite melancholy for this style. They put a lot of energy into the music, there’s no doubt about that. But the lyrics are fairly dark for the most part and are personal and very easy to relate to. They manage to stay away from the cliches that seem to be floating around the genre. It’s sad that you can read the same line in so many booklets. There are far too many bands singing about being up at 2 in the morning, or that they have their hands around my neck. Yea, it was a cool line when The Used wrote it, but let’s try something new kids!

With so many new bands coming out that are in the melodic direction it would be easy for this band to fall into the cracks. But amazing songwriting should help these guys gain recognition and quickly at that. Few bands even come close to this on a debut cd. The last debut cd that really moved me like this was Taking Back Sunday’s first disc, so that alone should be a good indication of the quality found here.

Anam Cara-s/t
(Strike First Records, 2004)

Anam Cara is a fairly new band, but when a band is started by a former member of Underoath you know that people will pay attention. Anam Cara isn’t very far off from Underoath in style. The band is melodic, driving, but a great deal heavier then Underoath I’d say. This could be described as melodic metalcore, and really isn’t as instantly memorable as Underoath.

This is essentially the first four songs the band has played, but what a start this is. The production is a little bit rough around the edges, but if I’m not mistaken this was their demo that Strike First wanted to re-release. The songwriting is right up there with the best bands quality wise. The riffs are interesting and the delivery is energetic and tight. The vocals are a throaty scream that definitely fits the style the band is going for. You could almost say that they have sound that you’d expect from a Florida band. The music is melodic, but the screaming is vicious. Fans of Evergreen Terrace would definitely find elements of this band that they’d like. Anam Cara is less metal and not quite as fast, but the similarities are definitely there stylistically.

The main drawback to this bands style is the fact that it’s not incredibly original. With time however I’m sure that will come. The songwriting is there already, they just need that extra something to really allow themselves to stand out from the pack. Don’t get me wrong, these are four amazing songs that I will praise to no end, but there is room for the band to stretch out from what you expect from the genre.

Endicott-The Words in Ink Don’t Lie
(Equal Vision Records, 2004)

Sometimes you can somewhat guess what you are in store from a band from the name, layout, etc. But I really had no idea to expect from Endicott. Being that they are on Equal Vision I somewhat expected it to be a bit melodic, but didn’t expect to be treated to one of the most interesting and rocking melodic hardcore albums I have ever heard.

You could definitely say that these guys draw from a wide variety of styles and sounds. The main core of the bands sound is definitely rock based, but hints of hardcore and even a bit of the current screamo sound or whatever you want to call it comes into play. The songs are usually upbeat and have an incredible amount of energy thanks to an impressive drum performance. The combination of screaming vocals and clean vocals is where the screamo comes into play and it’s actually probably the most predictable aspect of this disc. It fortunately fits the music perfectly and makes them share a few similarities with label mates Alexisonfire. Although Endicott is definitely more rock based and not as easily consumed.

This is one of the few records that manages to be catchy without dumbing things down. You don’t have simple songs with hook filled choruses. The guitar playing is technical at times, and definitely has more to offer then three chord riffs and simple melodies. It’s not as technical as math metal, but you definitely couldn’t say that this band is simple either. The structures themselves move quickly and while sections are repeated they don’t seem to follow the usual radio friendly structures. There are parts that will grab you, but they don’t stand out as a huge chorus. You’ll remember songs as wholes mainly and there isn’t a bad one in the bunch.

I definitely like that the band put a lot of thought into the themes of the disc. This is a concept album revolving around a kidnap. So you basically know not to expect the usual girlfriends gone awry themes here. Even if you don’t get into the lyrics, you can enjoy the songs individually as they may be set up to tell the story you don’t have to listen in that order to still enjoy the music.

Interesting packaging and even more interesting music makes this an album that would be very hard to pass up on. If a more rocked out Alexisonfire sounds interesting to you, then Endicott is a new band to make your ears very happy.

WASP-The Neon God-Part 2: The Demise
(Sanctuary Records, 2004)


So I’ll basically just say that I’ve never been a WASP fan. Why you ask? Well, I just pretty much have always thought they weren’t very good. This two part two album spanning concept really doesn’t change that at all. In fact, the story isn’t interesting to me in the least and the music itself is rather bland heavy metal music. The music I suppose is a bit catchy from time to time, but it just rubs me the wrong way and that is never a good thing. Sure it sounds good and it’ll sell tons of copies, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a good record. It lacks any flowing qualities and none of the songs stand out to me at all. I’m sure all of you WASP fans will be into this. There are WASP fans out there somewhere aren’t there? Probably not many that would admit to it though right?

Comity-The Deus Ex-Machina As a Forgotten Genius (Andy Warhol Sucks)
(Untied Edge Records, 2004)

Calling this band unique would be a definite understatement. Comity hails from France and plays a style that is somewhere between hardcore and metal, but they definitely do not have much to do with the current metalcore sound. The bands riffs are technical and weave and blast, and you’ll have no idea what to expect next. They even have some more sludgy sections as well as melodic breaks and even some more common place breakdowns. All of this in a matter of minutes, and these are long songs so that should tell you that this is all over the place. And that is definitely putting it lightly.

The shortest song on here is just over nine minutes while the longest just breaks twelve minutes. So basically these aren’t your average hardcore songs. Songs have lengthy breaks of quieter instrumentation which gives the songs an almost sound scape like sound at times. It does a lot to break up the tracks because 12 minutes of constant bludgeoning might be a bit too much. The dissonance and unusual nature of the bands riffs doesn’t lend itself to being the most memorable listen but there is a surprising amount of quirks that you’ll remember after the songs are finished.

This is simply put an amazing sounding album. The guitar tone is crushingly heavy, yet you can still make out ever little detail. The entire band really manages to stay very tight which is quite the feat when you consider how all over the place the music can be from time to time. They have just the right amount of raw textures to make the album vicious sounding, but every instrument rings through clear so you won’t have to strain at all to pick up what’s going on.

I suppose the ideal description might be Dillinger Escape Plan mixed with Neurosis’s cleaner moments. They definitely have a unique sound and each riff brings surprises, but that might give you at least an idea of the musical journey you are in store for here. This definitely isn’t just another copy cat album, this is essential listening that shows a new rung in the evolution of hardcore.