I know it's a tired and generic statement, but they really are one of the most intense bands in existence. They are also really inventive, espeically in terms of guitar (check the title track of No Heroes; two handed tapping chaos) and write some of the best breakdowns known to man (the gigantic doom-groove blast in Plagues). The rhythm section is excellent as well, and the vocalist Jacob Bannon has some of the hardest and most brutal screams that I've ever heard.
Basically, they're just a great band all around.

you just cited plagues as one of their heavy breakdowns?

point out where i said that
but yeah it's pretty heavy not their heaviest

it's not heavy in the sense that The Broken Vow breakdown is, but it's heavy in that it's sludgy and distorted and tortuously slow.

Plagues sucks I think. I don't even consider that a breakdown. Their more breakdown oriented album is definitely Petitioning. But even the breakdowns on that album are not really used the way modern metalcore bands overly rely on them. I don't think that they've ever really relied on breakdowns that much. Anyway, I love the (semi)breakdowns in "Vengeance (that siq double bass part)" and the ending of "Phoenix In Flight."This Message Edited On 08.21.07

Plagues is a sick song. They opened with it when I saw them, and it was the sickest thing ever.

Album Rating: 4.5

Yer same, that song is killer opener.

Album Rating: 3.5

I've never really listened to this one as much as their other albums I've got.

Album Rating: 4.5

You should listen to it more often then.

It is their best album.

Nonsense. It's more readily accessible and enjoyable because it's more thrash and punk oriented, but their later releases are much more intelligent, creative, and just generally better.

Album Rating: 4.0

jane doe ftw

[quote=Brain Dead]Nonsense. It's more readily accessible and enjoyable because it's more thrash and punk oriented, but their later releases are much more intelligent, creative, and just generally better.[/quote]

Exactly. Petitioning is just straight up metalcore and yeah, it's great to headbang to but at the end of the album, I found myself underwhelmed by certain tracks. Jane Doe is such a more experimental album, it's nowhere near standard metalcore, it's such an eclectic blend of metal and metalcore. Plus, it's truly a masterpiece because it's meant to be listened to as a complete album, not for individual songs. The title track is so epic and emotional, it's just so much more than jun jun wee like alot of this album is based off of.

I can only listen to Petitioning all the way through. I have also found a new love for When Forever Comes Crashing as well. It's more intense than Petitioning, but is serverly underrated as it was the album pre Jane Doe.

Album Rating: 5.0

I agree