Review Summary: A solid offering to the hardcore-ish gods
Burden of a day is basically a cup of decaf metal core. Not that it is a bad thing. In fact it comes together as a nothing new but almost original attempt at the Christian heavy scene. There is not much in the line of musicianship, such as shredding for example, but more in the sense of craftsmanship. Man, do they know how to make catchy songs, that are as head bang worthy as they are scene girl sing along worthy.
As you look at this band as a whole unit it is very well structured and thought out. Songwriting seems to be these guys strongest forte. The simple pull off riffs and subtle double bass coupled with throaty yells and screams makes for a surprisingly entertaining and meaningful joyride. Comparisons to Underoath and bands of that nature, seem to be well justified. These are almost poppy metalcore scream along ballads, with a few breakdowns thrown in, that actually don't sound bad at all. The band quotes as influences Thrice, The Bled, Refused, Thursday, Beloved, and All That Remains. Minus the last one the influences are heard. The live shows they put on as well, from what i've heard are fairly amazing and full of energy.
As far as guitars go, you wont see these guys in, say guitar world, but they do a good job of keeping the listener interested in what little they are doing. They also disguise the lack of chops very well, and you will hear a fair amount of lead work over the top of what are mostly groove riffs. Can you say power chords and single note harmonies? I only wish there was a bit more here, but they are catchy nonetheless. I find the riff in Monsters Among Us to be very catchy. Harmonies are are always on the menu here as well.
In the bass department, there is nothing important to say, other than it follows the guitar all of the time. You maybe hear notable bass twice, and it is coupled with the bass drums to add a little groove. Nothing to stray away from the straightforward presentation.
Vocals are the strongest point by far and are very strong indeed. There are a nice blend of screams, yells, shouts, and clean singing. There are a lot of the yells which are borderline screaming, but not quite there. They really fit well with the certain attitudes of each song. The clean singing tends to be my favorite and you find yourself singing along quite frequently. The lyrics are a bit immature and are a low point in a way, but they are pretty well crafted for the most point, and yes, they are very Christian , in case you couldn’t tell by the album and song names. Again, Monsters Among Us is a good presentation of the lyrics.
The drums are very simple most of the time, but provide a solid groove, and anchor the songs in stone. I find myself to appreciate the simplicity and groove he lays down. Double bass isn't overdone, and simple rolls and flams sum up most of the fills.
The production of this album is just shy of superb, and is crystal clear, and draws out the most of each instrument. Job well done here, other than the annoying tone of the pinch harmonics. The bass drums kick your ***, the guitars project, and the Vocals soar, just as it should be.
Overall I would say this is a grow on you album that has hooks up the ***, and really draws you in.This would definently be classified as post-hardcore. Blessed Be Our Ever After is not for fans of kick you in the nuts music, but at least they make beautifully sculpted popcore that is a grow on you experience.
Songs that will help you see if this for you or not would be: Battle For Hoth, Monsters Among Us, and Sorry Seacrest It's Casey's Countdown.
