ALL THAT REMAINS JOIN THE CHILDREN OF BODOM “WE PROMISE TO BE RELIABLE IF NOT INVENTIVE” CLUB
Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 5:19pm by Axl Rosenberg
I know some people that are absolutely fuckin’ fanatical about All That Remains, the Masshole group fronted by former Shadows Fall front dude/devout Christian/self-professed porn addict Phil Labonte (who actually seems to have found a fairly stable line-up for the band after years of constant member changes). I’ve always had a lot of respect for the band, but never quite got to a point where I was as into them as some of their American New Wave peers; maybe that’s because, as much as I’ve enjoyed their albums (particularly 2004’s This Darkened Heart), I’ve seen them live a few times and they never exactly knocked my socks off. Still, I’ll take them over As I Lay Dying any day of the week.
ANYWAY, ATR have a new album, Overcome, coming out on Prosthetic on September 16, and now two new songs from said album, entitled “Before the Damned” and “Relinquish,” have made their way onto the band’s MySpace page.
Now, Overcome is ATR’s first time working with producer Jason Suecof after a string of albums with fellow Mass Metalcore pioneer Adam D. (Labonte was also apparently the runner-up to replace Jesse Leech in Killswitch Engage). I’m not sure that I hear a major difference in the results – even if the guitars and screaming vox sound marginally heavier to me, the clean vocals also sound a little more processed – but I’m also not sure that it matters. This is a band that knows how to write a kick ass chugga-chug riff and a reasonably catchy crooned-chorus, so even if artistic evolution isn’t in the cards, at least we can reasonably sure that the album won’t suck giant sagging bulldog nuts.
And, hey, while you’re checking out the group’s new tunes, try to ponder how a devout Christian could also love porn so much. ‘Cause I know that little factoid confuses the fuckin’ fuck outta me.
-AR
AILD > ATR
uh no.
UM NO!
whoa, vox sound WAY heavier.
I think the new songs are great. Not ‘holy shit awesome’ but they are pretty damn good. And to choose between AILD and ATR is tough since both are one of the best metalcore/melodeath bands around.
Everyone that listens to this stuff on their myspace should try to keep in mind that it’s on myspace and the quality of it is going to drastically reduced and on top of the I think it is not totally finished being mastered.
With that said, I think it sounds alright…it sounds like ATR…and that’s a good thing.
Sounds good, heavier than The Fall of Ideals, not as melodic. Solos kick ass, of course. Not sure about the over-processed vocals of Phil in that first song. And as for comparing AILD to ATR, it’s tough, both awesome bands.
This Darkened Heart was amazing. Everything else is somewhat dull. This new stuff sounds like generic Avenged Sevenfold garbage.
Hmm, I’m not too sure about how polished the vocals are. It’s heavier alright. Last time I saw them, they kicked some ass. Saw them with Divine Heresy a weeks before Dino fell down and got mad.
Should’ve stuck with Adam D.
meh.
@Brett
How was The Fall of Ideals in any way dull? They took everything they did on This Darkened Heart and turned it up a notch in every way possible. I think they’ve progressed quite a bit until now IMO. The new stuff not so much.
I don’t think I’ll ever understand metalcore kids… this stuff is annoying as hell.
Okay, the Fall of Ideals wasn’t downright DULL but the songs lacked the depth of the previous album and it just felt like some kind attempt at breaking through to the mainstream with cookie cutter songs. Which worked. I would have hoped that they could keep doing what they were doing but after hearing these two new tracks I guess they’re not.
until the incredibly predictable chorus, this just sounded like some leftovers from demonic or the gathering by testament. i’ll give these guys credit for one thing though, they have a guy who LOOKS like he should be able to shred himself a fine lead, and he can. wait a minute…they have a female bass player? ah shit. that old chestnut. if it’s not bolt thrower, it’s probably gonna be more of a gimmick than anything.
They wanted Adam D. to produce the album, but he was unavailable.
The first song is good, but I find the voice is filtered or cleaned to such a point, it sounds fake. I love clean vocals in a song but this dosent feel very genuine and hence makes the other style of vocals seem kinda silly in comparison. I mean, who is this song for? The Hot topic crowd? Madden 09? The ozzfest compliation cd that you never listen to cause it gets destoryed while it was in your pocket? Plus, I really dug his gutteral style on The Week Willed, hopefully that makes an apperance on the new record.
what the fuck did I just hear a new genre name that shouldn’t be (melodeath, why do metalcore fags keep coming up with new shitty genre names for the sake of it?!)
As I lay dying chugs one mean dick…
All that Remains is ok, nothing special…
Jason Suecof is an aweseome producer (he did Chimaira’s “ressurection” and Triviums “Acendency” for example) and is pretty much on par with Adam D. both of which are always sure to put out a good album, but I don’t know… Logic says this band shouldn’t sound too bad (because of the producers)… but there’s always something i’m never sure about them…
Speaking of Adam D, hopefully he produces the next Parkway Drive CD, they kick ass :D
Oh my god yes, Parkway Drive. They kick ass. AILD sucks hairy nutsack, and ATR is amazing.