Review Summary: Bass Drop Breakdowns anyone?
For Today release '
BREAKER' Their third album and by the words of the lead singer Mattie Montgomery ''This album is shaping up to be the heaviest, most intense, confrontational material we've ever released, and we are all so ready to get it out.'' Well if by more heavy and intense they mean more bass drop breakdowns then in their previous album ''
Portraits'' they are right. But without the bass drop breakdowns, this is pretty much Portraits Pt.2
The album is in the same formula as Portraits, especially in the lyrical department. Bold and fierce Christian lyrics are in every song on this album. The average Atheist may not find the lyrics appealing much. Like in the song 'Devastator' lyrics like ''
AND I WILL SEE YOU ON YOUR KNEES, TO THE KING OF KINGS''. Or in the song 'White Flag’ ‘‘
THIS BATTLE IS NOT MINE, BUT THIS BELONGS TO THE LORD'.
If you like breakdowns then you will love For Today's, while only 8 out of the 12 tracks are songs.
There are a good 27 bass drop breakdowns aside from the numerous many that follow that are not bass drops. Can your speakers even handle that?
They have also done something different this time around, with spoken word poetry for the intro and interludes, which you will either like or hate. They pretty much confront the speakers trials and troubles in his life.
The Guitars are pretty much the same chug fest, pretty cool riffs with some sweeping leads, but that won't last too long before those bass drop breakdowns kick in. They have improved on the execution of the leads, while on the last album there would be a lead that gave you the feeling that it was going somewhere and nothing happens. This time they have improved on musical placement in other words.
The drums are what really shine, the drummer always knows where to put that fill on to make it fit perfectly with the other musicians. This time around the drumming is a bit more creative were you do not hear the drummer doing the same predictable drum pattern over and over. Listen to the fills on 'Devastator' around 1:23.
The bass shines as for it is HEARD!! Not very common with allot of typical metalcore bands out these days, He seems to back the guitars rather well, not doing anything really lead wise or creative but just enough to let you know he is there.
As for the vocals, they are the best improvement with this album. Were Mattie Montgomery shines with the perfect mid ranged vocals with the occasional high pitch scream that fits perfectly with the layered deep pitches. Not as clicky in the first two albums. The best vocal performance from him to date.
A few guest vocals also, Shane Raymond of Close Your Eyes gives a singing hand on '
Phoenix'. Drew York of Stray from the Path has a part on '
Arm the Masses' that makes the song 20x better than it was before he comes in. Also Jay Pepito of Reign Supreme lends his vocal talent on '
King' that seems out of place and don't fit to well. And for last album closer ''
The Breakers Commission'' it starts with the spoken word then climaxes with a Choir singing ''
HE IS HERE, HE WAS THERE, HE IS PEACE, HE IS FAITHFUL''.
All in all if you liked Portraits you will like this album, aside from the spoken words this is a pretty solid metalcore album, nothing groundbreaking but better than most.
