Review Summary: For an album that is both somewhat generic and repetitive, Gutter Phenomenon is just plain fun and is quite successful as a result of that trait.
It seems that lately Every Time I Die has been gaining a hugely increased fan following. They headlined the Hurley stage at Warped Tour throughout the blazing hot summer, creating a ruckus at darn near every stop. Their on stage madness did not exactly go unnoticed, as they were named the breakout band of the tour. So after coming off one of the better tours what do they do in the fall? Why go onto the World Championship tour with good friend’s Atreyu, playing packed club shows as a supporting act. I know you are wondering what gives for all of this fuss, and the answer is their latest release
Gutter Phenomenon. In reality, what really makes the record such a success is not the unique sound, the shredding guitars, or the catchy choruses; because this record doesn’t exactly focus itself around any of those musical aspects. Instead
Gutter Phenomenon thrives off of a little thing called a fun factor.
Fun comes right away from the opening riff, the fury filled yells, and the in your face sound, as they all contribute in forming the opening track
“Apocalypse Now and Then”. A big standout immediately is vocalist Keith Buckley. Simply put he has a hell of a voice that just fits the music perfectly. His yells are full of passion and have a defined tone to them. They flow right in with the persistent riffs and blend of octave and power chords both guitarists throw out. Of course there are some sung parts, which are once more wonderful. All of the transitions here are very fluent into the singing which only adds to its enjoyment. Speaking of enjoyable, how about a bass led section? Bass exposes itself in the opening track and is indeed audible. Some fairly simple beats and fitting rolls from the drums keep things tight. The opener demonstrates that most of the fury from the band comes from the vocals and guitarists. Not saying that the bassist and drummer take the backseat, but it seems as though they are not exactly the main focus or driving force of the group. Does the record suffer from that? Not at all…
Fun is having a guest vocal appearance by none other than MCR’s own Gerard Way on the second track
“Kill The Music”. A wildcat computerized growl starts this before the wall of sound hits listeners. The verse holds the usual intense state with some rapid riff sections and some dissonant chords holding up the rhythm. During the chorus Gerard lets an infectious hook out. It fits the song terrifically, yet the entire song does not revolve around it. All of the music work is just so solid, as both the lead and the rhythm guitarist modify their parts accordingly. After a half time feeling bridge (no it’s not a breakdown here) comes the highlight of the song. A brief lead comes out during a pounding ending with Keith shouting
“I know the stripper’s real name!”. Go right ahead, listen to it, and notice how natural a fist pump becomes at the end. A state of enjoyment is ever so easily obtained from the first two songs and it sure doesn’t stop there.
Fun and humor both come to mind when mentioning
“Bored Stiff”. After all when the singer drops a line such as
“Hey girls, I’m a cunt!” it is awfully hard not to laugh. The track only further intensifies the atmosphere of the record while incorporating the aspect of humor. With slight exceptions
Gutter Phenomenon maintains its chokehold on listeners until the sixth track
“The New Black”. While far from a soft tune, there is definitely a more poppy edge to this one. The singing here is really a treat as it is introduced right from the beginning of the song. Lyrics are pretty enjoyable throughout this song,
“When I finish struggling / We can make our way to the dance floor and stand like strangers in an elevator / Stuck between stories.” Of course the sung line
“If loving me is wrong, then god damn you do it right!” will get stuck in your head. The song itself whips through some interesting sections, one being a modified verse with a higher pitched lead. While still containing plenty of heaviness, The New Black does a superb job of incorporating a pinch of poppy touch and really stands out amongst the record as they switch back to their typical sound later on in the record.
Fun comes in abundance when they return a signature style, which is how they close the record.
“Gloomy and How It Gets That Way” certainly feels more like an old school track. Plenty of this is due to its short length as it clocks in at a mere 1:57. It has a bit of a slower feel to it as its main riff is fairly moderate in tempo. Dissonance is used aplenty during the verses and even in the chorus. It feels a little weaker than other songs on the record, but it is certainly diverse and is no way shape or form a bad tune. The closing song
“Pretty Dirty” is an excellent choice for a last impression of the record. Here the lyrics are just down right incredible, all of them. The overall composition of the track is just so solid. Right from the get go the main riff is a head banger and a fist pumper. The clean vocals add a nice touch as well due to their tasteful placement. Speaking of tasteful placement, how about a nicely delivered breakdown halfway through which stands out almost as well as the bridge. A bass driven bridge with some claps really brings this track home as they close with another breakdown feeling section. The song is certainly a great way to top the record off as it is filled with solid riffs, diverse sections, and incredible lyrics.
For a band that is on the up rise, Every Time I Die actually seems worthy of the attention they have been getting lately. There are plenty of reasons why
Gutter Phenomenon is an enjoyable record; there are superbly delivered vocals on both ends, the guitar riffs are pummeling and don’t let up for a second, the drums put forth an ideal effort in keeping things tight and the energy at a high, the bass is apparent in holding up the low end, and as a whole the record and its flow are exceptionally consistent. While the songs are certainly on diverse levels of enjoyment, there is no obvious filler here. Now all of those things are great for a record and usually lead to a successful album. That is the case here but to me
Gutter Phenomenon’s real treat is in its overall fun factor. While at times this record is repetitive, in general it is just a blast to listen to and its energy is dangerously contagious. Many modern albums in this genre lack a sense of fun and enjoyment, but Every Time I Die makes them both easily accessible with
Gutter Phenomenon.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
