Review Summary: Melodic metalcore, paint-by-numbers.
Bury Tomorrow is one of those bands I’ve always felt I SHOULD enjoy more than I do. Melodic metalcore will always have a special place in my heart; and the earlier works of acts such as Killswitch Engage, All That Remains and Parkway Drive still remain a firm favourite. Essentially, it’s a style which appeals to three of the primary reasons I adore heavy music; the fast-paced, harmonic riffing gratifies the snobbish music critic within, for the impressive technical talent on display, the larger-than-life choruses satisfies my pop-sensibilities and the low-tuned hardcore breakdowns elicits a rush of adrenaline that few other musical devices can.
And in Bury Tomorrow’s case, it certainly all seems to be there. The musicianship on display is incredibly proficient, with guitar-work which is electrifying and crisp; and although each song is predominantly assembled around a single riff, noodling guitar leads are snuck in at every available opportunity, often on top of the choruses, to create a much more dense and well-rounded sound than many of their peers. There’s even the occasional solo, such as midday through ‘301’, where the fretboard is traversed in such a manner which almost seems effortless. It’s a band of talented instrumentalists; and they’re not going to let you forget it. The vocals are also solidly executed, alternating between low growls and soaring cleans for the choruses (in a similar vein to countless predecessors), drums keep the energy high with some frantic double-kick work; and the bass, although often lost in the mix, locks everything together well.
Yet despite there being much to praise, ‘Earthbound’ is an album which I doubt I’ll revisit after writing this review, save for a couple of moderately enjoyable tracks. To elaborate; although some of their previous releases featured memorable choruses, here they seem much more dull and derivative, with chord progressions and hooks which have been done better before, both by the band itself and a myriad of others; and with the breakdowns also suffering from a similar problem, owing to an over-repetition of the same standardized rhythms. Even the song structures themselves rarely deviate from the tired verse / chorus formula; to the extent where the tracks start blending together before even reaching the halfway point of the album. Essentially what we’re left with is a collection of enjoyable riffs and adept instrumental work, however lacking the solid song-writing foundations to back it up.
Taking influences from some of the best in the genre, it’s a record which should work. And at times it does. Tracks like lead single ‘Earthbound’ invoke artists such as Soilwork, with a blistering pace which never abates and soaring vocals in the choruses. And ‘Last Light’ feels musically in the vein of an ‘Ascendancy’ era Trivium tune, with melodic guitar riffing, and some touchingly heartfelt lyrics, which deal with promising to meet a loved one at the gates of heaven, to create one of the more memorable tracks of the album. Yet perhaps that’s the problem; it’s all been done before.
While so many of the melodic-metalcore mainstays have expanded their sound, such as Avenged Sevenfold and Trivium’s gradual inclusion of heavy and thrash metal elements, All That Remains' dabbling with radio-friendly rock and Parkway Drive’s recent experiments with styles such as hair and folk metal, after feeling unable to create something fresh within the constraints of the genre, Bury Tomorrow continues to write within such a narrow scope; where each aspect of their sound has been done before, often better. I really wanted to like this album; and perhaps if it was the first of its kind, then that would be possible. But when what’s essentially being presented is a pastiche of the past, without bringing much new to the table, all it makes me want to do is re-listen to the older releases which inspired it.
Listen To:
Last Light
Earthbound
Memories
