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Review |
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Let's face it, melodic metalcore is getting a little
stale. Since it's explosion a good, good few years
ago, it managed to consistently distract from other
stagnant bands in the mainstream metal listeners
ears. There is very little left to invent within
this framework of melodic solos, breakdowns, laboroius
duel lead guitars and juxtaposed clean and brash
vocals. And it isn't a coincidence I should mention
this seeing that chief spewer in this band (Jesse
Leach) was once at the helm of one of metalcore's
more popular acts, namely Killswitch Engage.
Taking the first-wave edge of punk politics, and
mixed with an epic sounding melodic hardcore metal
band 'Awaken' is surely one of the few decent
sounding metalcore albums left to be heard. It
was released last year in the US, but it is about
time it got a little airing over the pond.
Essentially a hardcore metal band,The Empire Shall
Fall started in late 2008 after another Leach
side project 'Seemless' went on hiatus. The Empire
Shall Fall collectively puts Leach's previous
outings together in an extremely well organised
album. In fact, it surprised in me in many ways
on how much attention has gone into composition
and the depth of some of the writing. Sometimes
it reminds of genius of Byzantine in places. The
8 tracks which are just shy of 40mins flow through
techincal metalcore, discordant scraped riffs
and math-metal tempos, to melodic interchanges
and back out again. With Killswitch themselves
on the verge of plummeting their own success through
the average (insert album) it is only fit that
Leach can not only hold himself on stage with
his former bandmates (in the light of Howard's
temporary exit), but to finally get his teeth
back into something worth listening to.
"Lords Of War" cleverly changes pace
from a bastardised pseudo-death sound to a stomping
Southern rock sound. "Voices forming Weapons"
should definetely keep the windmillers happy.
The track loosely revolves around a few well worked
breakdowns, but also stretches out these sections
with some minimal slabs of guitar, deathly vocals
and slow open chord power riffing. "Choir
Of Angels" has a whiff of prog/screamo to
the track, and king of mish-mash of No Consequence
and other bands from Basick Records. Put simply,
if you dig Killswitch, All That Remains, As I
Lay Dying (listen to "These Colours Bleed")
et al then you seriously need to get this round
your lug-holes.
4/5
Review by Rich E |
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| Band
Members |
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Jesse Leach
Jake Davenport
Marcus De Lisle
Nick Sollecito
Jeff Pitts |
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| Track
Listing |
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1. Awaken
2. Lords of War
3. Voices Forming Weapons
4. Choir of Angels
5. We the People
6. These Colors Bleed
7. Our Own
8. The Kingdom |
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Related Links |
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| Review
Score Code |
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- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
-
What Was That? |
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