(Screamo/Pop-Punk) Finch - What it is to Burn.

[hybridofsound]

Album: What it is to Burn
Artist: Finch
Alex Pappas - Drums
Derek Doherty - Bass
Nate Barclow - Vocals
Randy Strohmeyer - Guitar
Alex Linares - Guitar
Released: 2003 (Drive-Thru records)


There's a certain quality to Finch something which just jumps out at you and sends chills down your spine. Maybe it's the raw emotion portrayed in Nates voice our the pounding drums and roaring guitars.

Finch released the 'Falling Into Place ep' in 2001 which featured 4 tracks. The band are signed to Drive-Thru records and have made their name as one the labels best. What it is to Burn has 11 brand new songs plus re-records of Letters to you and Perfection Through Silence which featured on the Falling into Place ep. The album is filled mainly with powerfull emotional songs but there are a few exceptions.

New Beginnings - Starts off with a few notes soaring everywhere then explodes into the song. From the first word Nate gives an emotional preformance on this track. The guitars work just right and the drumming is excellent. This pays off as one of the best tracks on the cd.

Letters to You - If you've never heard of Finch this song is almost guaranteed to get you to like them. A nice almost pop-punk song about a girl. It's emotional, fast and catchy.

Post Script - It's a good song and well preformed but after the power of the first two songs it isn't quite as good. Also has a theme that we can all relate to.

Grey Matter - Daryl Palumbo from Glassjaw feautures on two songs on this album and this is the first. This song does sound quite a bit like Glassjaw and will come out at you. It's a harder song and may take a bit of getting used to. It's still a good song and will become a favourite over time.

Perfection Through Silence - The best song on the album. This song from second one screams out of you. It's a very emotional song and Nate sings at his best on this song. The chorus will have you singing along for days and you will have to put your cd player on repeat just for this song.

Awake - A song a bit like Grey Matter the emotion doesn't shine through on this song and it's got a slightly harder edge. It takes a while to really get into the song and after Perfection Through Silence doesn't quite flow.

Without You Here - This song is Finch yet again at their best. The most emotional song on the album it's just beautiful. A song I can personaly relate to and see many others feeling the same. When you feel down this is a song to make you feel better.

Stay With Me - Another fantastic song. Almost a pop-punk song really. It's incredibly catchy and Nate as always gives an awesome performance on the song. Here's another song you'll put your cd player on repeat for.

Project Mayhem - Read the song title. It's mayhem or at least at first impression it is. Keep listning to this song. Daryl is back on it and it's the hardest song on the album. It sounds a little out of place after Stay with Me and isn't the albums best but any Glassjaw fan should enjoy this song.

Untitled - Here we get a mix of Stay With Me and Project Mayhem. It's a mellow song for the most part and quite emotional. It breaks into a quiet bridge then EXPLODES at the end. A very good song overall.

Three Simple Words - Almost like Untitled in it's mix but very different sounding. It's got a catchy chorus and good versus. A pop-punk song with a harder edge.

Ender - The most mellow song on the album. It's 13 minutes long (The actual song is only about 6 and the rest is noise). It's a good song but doesn't really have the X factor the over emotional songs Finch make on this album do. The noise at the end gets annoying to.

What it is to Burn - Wow. Once Nate sings 'She Burns' at the very begining this song has you. The second best song on this album. The chorus is one of the most powerfull chorus's in the history of music and it really does explode. Everything flows on this song. The guitars are just right, the drumming excellent, lyrics amazing and the singing perfect. It's a great way to finish the album.

So overall this album is very strong. A few songs weaker songs on the album drag the overall rating down a little bit but there are so many quality songs on the album it's a must purchase for anyfan of Screamo that likes it with a mellow edge.

Best Songs:
Perfection Through Silence
Stay with me
What it is to Burn
Without you here

My rating = 4.5/5 Stars :thumb:

[Led Zeppp]

i find finch very boring and doesn't have a very original sound. i always get them confused with bands like trapt.

[metalshredderkid]

finch with trapt??

[Volkert314]

I'll aggree with you on the review. I bought the Finch album after I heard Letters to You on mp3.com. I really liked their emotion and the song go to me.

I also like Stay with Me, Untitled, and What it is to Burn

The latter is a great song with a hard edge to it. If you haven't seen the video, that capture the song at it's finest. It's awesome and I'm awaiting some new stuff from Finch.

I give the album 4/5 stars. I like the break, you go from Stay With Me, to a harder Project Mayhem, it's like a fine line of Pop-Punk to Pop-Punk with harder edge. If that made any sense.

[SamParker337]

are finch pop punk? Good charlotte are pop punk, and you dont hear them goin mental wiv screaming dya? Finch are an excellent band, an i only got the album today, but i dont see how they can really be called pop punk when actually theyr nothing like good charlotte, Blink and other pop punk style bands

[epifreak2002]

2.5/5
It sounds like what would happen if the Deftones were to breed with Sum 41, and I don't mean that in a good way. They manage to sound more original than most other pop-punk bands, but that's only b/c they're ripping off 2 styles instead of just 1.

[PunkinDonuts]

4.9/5

This is one of the best albums Ive ever bought, and they are my inspiration for writing music, and one of my top 5 favorite bands. The only reason this CD gets a 4.9, instead of 5 is because of that slightly annoying extending the song with a bunch of useless noise crap that they do sometimes, but hey thats why theres a "skip track" button on your cd player :thumb:

Very good review HOS :thumb: I almost fully agree with you.

[lethal dose]

i find finch very boring and doesn't have a very original sound. i always get them confused with bands like trapt.
what the ****? finch confused with trapt they sound nothing alike!

[fincustank87]

yea this cd is definetly the shiznit. i used 2 listen 2 this cd everyday b4 i went 2 bed & didnt get tired of it...i'm still not tired of it...just found a cd 2 replace that 1 :D yea this is 1 of those cd's where u would never have 2 push the skip button...cept 4 that 1 song where they extend it with some stupid crap noise. hmmm.....i think i'm gunna give it 4.5/5.

[SamParker337]

Yup Ive listened 2 it a lot now and its is just excellent! Perfection is silence is a standout track along with what it is to burn, although i prefer the demo version to the actual single version, bcus it has been so filled wiv effects dat kinda spoil it a lil bit. Can some1 plz plz tel me y the hell Finch are POP PUNK? Cus they aint! like i se pop piunk bands like blink dont go and get daryl fromGJ to go and scream the **** outta everything do they? Shudent Finch be called EMO??

[epifreak2002]

^Shudent yu lurn ta speel?

[Drop-D]

3.5/5

[SamParker337]

Shudent yu lurn ta speel?

Actually I can spell Mister 'epifreak2002.' Maybe it would do you good to get out more rather than find flaws in peoples vocabulary, because for all you know i could have been busy doing something much more important at the time. :evil: You know wot dude, i think you should just leave right now and go back to listening to all of your poppy Avril Lavigne CDs ;)

[The NPC]

1.2/5...Nothing is really impressive about the group. They really have a 'cookie-cutter for the masses sound' that really doesn't appeal to me.

[epifreak2002]

Actually I can spell Mister 'epifreak2002.' Maybe it would do you good to get out more rather than find flaws in peoples vocabulary, because for all you know i could have been busy doing something much more important at the time. :evil: You know wot dude, i think you should just leave right now and go back to listening to all of your poppy Avril Lavigne CDs ;)

Poppy Avril Lavigne cds.... :confused: Is that some kind of stock insult you use? I mean anyone who refers to Finch as "excellent" really has little room accusing someone of being poppy.

Also, I wouldn't have commented upon your spelling if your post hadn't been completely unreadable. I rarely ridicule others for making a few spelling mistakes, but roughly 1 in 5 of your words contained some form of gramatical, spelling, or usage error. Also on that note, the last half of your post reads as if it was typed by an angered chimp randomly pounding on the keyboard. For that matter, what makes you think that I didn't have other things to do than muddle through posts by illiterates like you. Just curious here, but did you perchance live under power lines, eat paint chips, or play with mercury as a child?

[FACELESSnotBASSLESS]

^Jesus, someone should just start a 'Make Fun of Other People's Grammar/Stupidity/Ugliness' forum.

Anyways, onto the topic. I like Finch. They're not the best band out there, but they are pretty good. I don't like how they commonly use just one note for every measure, but they break away from that occasionally (sp?). I'd give it a 3.5/5.

[epifreak2002]

^You spelled "occasionally" correctly; you may live. Did you read that guy's original post? He brought my mockery upon himself by posting in a forum, despite being borderline illiterate.

[SamParker337]

So 'Mister Epifreak2002' am i now anangered chimp randomly pounding on the keyboard?

:rolleyes:

Also I am very sure that i have never lived under a power line, eaten dried paint chippings or play with mercury, and i am sure that although none of these would prevent me from spelling words incorrectly, they may cause certain fatal problems :( But anyway, next time please dont waste your 'precious' time picking flaws in a poor 15 year olds piece of writing, especially if the poor 15 year old is top of the class(well nearly top anyway) of the top group for english ;), cus u kno ur gonna jus go n lose it all aint ya. Neways gd luck 4 da future m8, and i think you would be very good as a moderator or sumfin, cus den u cud nitpick all day long :cool: , and im sure u wud enjoy dat m8,

Yours sincerely,

Mstr Sam Parker (337)

[SamParker337]

Sorry about sidetracking there. can anyone recommend any other bands like finch, such as funeral for a friend or Brand New??

[Rufiokicksass]

Saosin, Matchbook romance, Thrice, Thursday, Zebrahead

[notpunk3PM]

What it is to burn is an awesome cd, check out their single from the underworld soundtrack, it's called worms of the earth. Oh btw, why is it everyone leaves out A Static Lullaby when talking about bands similar to Finch? Just an inquiry. Any way A Static Lullaby is like a harder version of Finch i.e more screaming, little edgier in sound.

[Benka5]

are finch pop punk? Good charlotte are pop punk, and you dont hear them goin mental wiv screaming dya? Finch are an excellent band, an i only got the album today, but i dont see how they can really be called pop punk when actually theyr nothing like good charlotte, Blink and other pop punk style bands

Good Charlotte shouldn't be considered pop punk. They are the boreder line of pop punk and just pop. I would like them to be considered Power Pop. Leave pop punk to lagwagon, and nofx.

[gimmeaname]

Jeez guys! I`m no longer surprised at the results of the age poll someone ran that says most users on this site are about 15! Who cares what genre a band is categorized into? If you like them listen to them, if their music offends your ear drums then avoid listening. Simple as. Now if you`ll excuse me i have exams to study for or i wont get my BSc.

[xdeadtomorrowx]

Stop right there. Finch isn't screamo. WHY DO PEOPLE CALL FINCH SCREAMO? I MEAN JESUS CHRIST. If people had half a brain and knew their music, they'd know most screamo bands are broken up. Nothing is really screamo anymore.

[hybridofsound]

Stop right there. Finch isn't screamo. WHY DO PEOPLE CALL FINCH SCREAMO? I MEAN JESUS CHRIST. If people had half a brain and knew their music, they'd know most screamo bands are broken up. Nothing is really screamo anymore.

It's a genre.. get over it.

[DFelon204409]

Stop right there. Finch isn't screamo. WHY DO PEOPLE CALL FINCH SCREAMO? I MEAN JESUS CHRIST. If people had half a brain and knew their music, they'd know most screamo bands are broken up. Nothing is really screamo anymore.

What about Circle Takes the Square? They're screamo and they're still around.

[xdeadtomorrowx]

What about Circle Takes the Square? They're screamo and they're still around.

Well didn't I say most? If I didn't I meant most. CTTS sucks anyway. I mean, all real screamo bands are gone for. CTTS is just a genre bending screamo and other styles. It's not straight foward screamo. Lots of screamo has orchestral instruments in it. Like violins, organs...etc..

[DFelon204409]

Well didn't I say most? If I didn't I meant most. CTTS sucks anyway. I mean, all real screamo bands are gone for. CTTS is just a genre bending screamo and other styles. It's not straight foward screamo. Lots of screamo has orchestral instruments in it. Like violins, organs...etc..

Excuse my careless reading. The funny thing is, while some screamo band insert random orchestral instruments, Circle Takes the Square is the only band that consistently sounds like they are orchestrating a symphony or something. They have themes that are repeated, offbeat instrumental styles, and other than that it's like the screamo version of Mauler or something. Also, the ambient sections are great and really help define the CD. It helps you divide everything into movements, if you want to focus on it like symphonies or something like that.

[xdeadtomorrowx]

Excuse my careless reading. The funny thing is, while some screamo band insert random orchestral instruments, Circle Takes the Square is the only band that consistently sounds like they are orchestrating a symphony or something. They have themes that are repeated, offbeat instrumental styles, and other than that it's like the screamo version of Mauler or something. Also, the ambient sections are great and really help define the CD. It helps you divide everything into movements, if you want to focus on it like symphonies or something like that.

They don't randomly place it, they put it going with the beat or the guitar if the organ or violin or whatever can play it. Perfect example is Portraits song "Even Now" Violin plays with the guitar.

[DFelon204409]

I know I know but I'm talking about random insertion like for example the band Cursive's incessant need to add cello and horn sections when they write far better songs when they can focus on guiar interplay.

[xdeadtomorrowx]

I know I know but I'm talking about random insertion like for example the band Cursive's incessant need to add cello and horn sections when they write far better songs when they can focus on guiar interplay.

Cursive sucks.

[DFelon204409]

Cursive sucks.

Actually they don't.

[tadams115]

Finch=one of my most favorite bands.. what it is to burn= one of my favorite cds.. cant wait for the new cd.

[cbmartinez]

I used to be obsessed with Finch when I bought this CD but it got old. Hopefully the new CD will be good.

[DFelon204409]

I used to be obsessed with Finch when I bought this CD but it got old. Hopefully the new CD will be good.

Well, they said that they would "kill [them]selves if [they] wrote a record similar to What it Is to Burn." That's a good step. Then they have named all of their working song titles as whatever band they sound the most like such as "Mars Volta rip-off" and "Snapcase ripoff." If you couple Finch's good sense of melodicism with the style of bands that are actually good and them string out their Glassjaw fetish, you may have an amazing CD.

[hybridofsound]

Ah god this turned into a screamo debate :|

I've heard one song off the new album 'Bitemarks And Bloodstains'. I downloaded a video of them playing it. It had a more sort of grungy dark sound too it. Had a screaming bridge in it but quite atmospheric verses. It sounds pretty cool. Really need to hear it in studio before I can make an opinion on it.

Side Note: Anyone know why the drummer left?

[miserychick]

being introduced to Finch's music over this past summer, they are refreshing and i couldn't find a song on What It Is to Burn that i didn't like.....i can't even put them into a catergory because emo would be to broad and so would punk....they write good lyrics and it's kinda hard to not find yourself relating to alot of it.....

[Sep]

Finch are alright. Nice review Hybridofsound. :thumb:

[Super Flying Turbo Ninja]

Yeah, good review. I don't like Finch too much.

[SingedH]

Cursive sucks.
Well didn't I say most? If I didn't I meant most. CTTS sucks anyway. I mean, all real screamo bands are gone for. CTTS is just a genre bending screamo and other styles. It's not straight foward screamo. Lots of screamo has orchestral instruments in it. Like violins, organs...etc..

you just dont like screamo, do you?

[40 oz 2 freedom]

I've been waiting for the new Finch CD since 7th grade.

[EADG]

I thought Alex Pappas played guitar...

[GUITARISTkaty]

Personally I dont usually go for punk and/or pop but this is brilliant. I know its been out for a while now but I still cant get over the brilliance within. I'd say deftones influences nd three days grace like rock.
11/10 .... a must listen to!

[Bartender]

Threads merged.

[CommieCanada]

this album got me into most of th music i listen to today

[40 oz 2 freedom]

Same here.

[GUITARISTkaty]

Finch definetly have a deftones sound, but everyone has to be influenced from somewhere...doesnt mean there identiacal.
Any news on an Aussie tour or when the new album is coming out?

[GUITARISTkaty]

Finch definetly have a deftones sound, but everyone has to be influenced from somewhere...doesnt mean they're copying them.
Any news on an Aussie tour or when the new album is coming out?

[DFelon204409]

you just dont like screamo, do you?

I cannot believe you just said that.

[The_Red_Death]

Yup Ive listened 2 it a lot now and its is just excellent! Perfection is silence is a standout track along with what it is to burn, although i prefer the demo version to the actual single version, bcus it has been so filled wiv effects dat kinda spoil it a lil bit. Can some1 plz plz tel me y the hell Finch are POP PUNK? Cus they aint! like i se pop piunk bands like blink dont go and get daryl fromGJ to go and scream the **** outta everything do they? Shudent Finch be called EMO??


Learn English.

Anyway, good review :thumb: . I can't wait until the new album comes out. Like most other people have said, I love the emotion in this album. It tends to get a little boring after a while though. I'd give it a 4/5. And yes, it is pop punk. Get over it.

[ibanezeric82]

i think the best song on this CD is NEW BEGINNINGS. i mean i love all the others, but that one is just beyond good. it just gets you going.