Review Summary: What happened? If you didn't like "Beauty.." I understand your resentment, but what about those of us who did?
What happened to bury your dead? Yeah, they got a new singer… but that isn’t it. Slim and Mark still write songs on a practice amp and an electronic drum set at their parents house. So what the hell happened? The attitude behind the instruments is still there. Hmm. Could it be that there are only so many ways to write a decent two-stepping jig? Have the Godfathers outdone themselves with their previous efforts?
Maybe all their songs that had been “re-recorded” from the You Had Me era to the Cover Your Tracks album were their prime. Of course BYD has never been one to reject musical maturity. They have progressed from a tough-guy HXC act into a dominating, highly influential powerhouse of the extremely aggressive hardcore scene. BATB was an unbelievable effort that showed growth, progression, both lyrically and chemically within the band. However, on their new self-titled effort it seems as if the ballads that Mark participated in on BTBAM’s Silent Circus effort have completely eclipsed their attempts. You will find that in this outing every song sounds like a rehashed Magnolia. Fool’s Gold, Year One, Angel with a Dirty Face. The list goes on and on. I once read an article that stated that BYD is a cross between Crowbar and Sevendust. In this album I think the tints of style are definitely there and BYD is definitely ‘in the vain of’ the aforementioned. Not only in the identical formality of the black singer, but in the way he inserted singing hymns that go into chugs, such as Dust to Dust (the albums ending ballad). Where Bruso used to scream over the strums newbie Myke lets the Lajon ring through the halls of a scene that has been fossilized ages ago. Of course, it is solid production and awesome beats and all is carried so well by Castillo’s drums as always. The production of the drums is exceptional on this record and hint at a new drum set once again. The element of a lead guitar is introduced on Year One, which completely caught me off guard. Could it be Slim letting loose after his former stints in Blood Has Been Shed and Hamartia, both aggro-progressive outfits? No! Its's Mark Tremonti!
We have never seen this light of BYD and I do not think we are ready for it. The progression is too sudden for a band of this stature. Two discs were sisters, the other a big brother, and this one a retarded child produced by incest. Still, I must say, the album is sexy-good times. However, I find it hard to believe that it is the same band at all. The anger fused melodies and intros on the previous efforts are so aggressive that it is hard to tune into the breakdowns and emotion contained within this self-titled outing.
Of course it is a solid performance and a great contribution to the bands discography, but the other songs on the three previous albums were so aggressive that it was almost childish in a manner that made you laugh at how accurate and ridiculous the lyrics and songs were regarding certain emotions.
Although it is a great disc, the band seems to have swayed from their clinical roots that made them so timeless. Bury your Dead has finally gotten the top shelf mint production they deserve and the maturity of the collection is clearly evident. A fine-tuning that I think came too late. Either way, put on your dancing shoes, its time to rock.
