Review Summary: A Skylit Drive is another post-hardcore/emocore band trying to be different...but they should quit while thier ahead, or find a new vocalist who doesnt sound like Miley Cyrus on steroids.
Around 4 months ago, a friend on my bus stop had a shirt that had the name of a band previously unknown to me on it, A Skylit Drive. Hey they sound good maybe I should check them out. So I did, I heard She Watched the Sky and thought hey this isn't half bad. Then once this CD came out I listened to it pretty much at once, and again I thought hey this is decent. Then the singing started...
After 2 listens I was done, done with this band, and the typical trash post-hardcore they are producing. However, there were some positve aspects to it that saved it from being a total failure; but lets start with the bad. The Music lacks all orginality, and sounds like just another nasally, pre-pubescent emo boy whining about his failed relationships. The vocals on She watched the Sky were layered and somewhat epic, but on this CD they are downright horrible and very very annoying. They sound like a cross between a pop singer and Hawthorne Heights. The music on songs such as
Knights of the Round is absolutely defiled by the singing which takes away any sense of heaviness, leaving you wondering if your listening to a metalcore CD, or the latest Hawthorne Heights single. The songs all seem to run together eventually, with the whiny singing, followed by a breakdown or metal riff, followed by more whiny moaning. However this music isnt a complete failure.
The instrumentation of WATHCOB is actually very very good. The musicianship saves the cd from sucking. The drumming is heavy and very well timed and the guitar is exceptional, laying down some excellent riffs and licks. The bass is pretty much nonexistent, but that seems to be the standard in core bands nowadays (My how I miss Avenged Sevenfold) but its nothing that really takes awaty from the Music. The screaming isnt half bad either but nothing you havent heard before.
It seems to be that every hardcore CD that comes out carries some band trying to break out from the stream of monotony in thier own way. The only problem is, usually it fails. Bands such as Alesana are different because they incorperate epic themes into thier music, Norma Jean is unique in thier sound, but bands such as ASD are going be just average and should try to stay that way. There were moments on this cd where i actually ejoyed myself among them I'm not a Thief I'm a treasure hunter. The outro to
My Disease was excellent as well too. The band needs to capitalize on sections like theses that carry an epic whinyness to them. That is where this band stays strong. The lyrics on this song were actually decent and i didn't mind them all too much. All the songs sound pretty much the same, but I'll Try to recommend some songs.
Listen to
Knights of the Round
I'm Not a Thief Im a Treasure Hunter
My Disease
All in All This CD had its positives and negatives, and ended up being pretty much another ____core cd. I'm sure theres a big following of depressed emo kids like the boy at my bus stop who will enjoy this so I didn't rip into it too much. Not exactly my type of music, but I won't stop you from picking it up.
Guitar-4/5
Drums3.5/5
Bass-2/5
Vocals-1/5
Screaming-3/5
Lyrics-1/5
Overall 2.5/5
