Review Summary: A catchy, fun album, that while not anywhere close to metalcore's elite, is still worth a listen.
In the Internet age we live in opinions and judgments seem to get spread like wildfire, plaguing every credible “source” the everyday person frequents. These rumors can add anticipation and excitement to an event (See the Call of Duty MW 2 craze) or in the case of Attack! Attack!’s debut album,
Someday Came Suddenly, these same rumors can cause unwarranted mass hatred and backlash.
I’m sure by now everyone on Sputnik, and a lot of other people, have seen the infamous Stick Stickly video which branded Attack! Attack! with the term “crabcore”. Many people were quick to write off this band, as their antics in the video created much backlash among viewers. Not many people really took a close listen to the album as a whole, which in spite of all the hatred spewed at the band, is actually a solid, enjoyable metalcore album.
Right off the bat I’l go ahead and say that Attack! Attack! is not a musically technical band. Songs are pretty much based off the same formula: large amounts of breakdowns, power chords, and octave chords, autotuned clean vocals mixed with harsh screams, typical metalcore drumming, and the occasional keyboards coming in and out. Sounds like something that would put to sleep all but the most metalcore obsessed listener right? Wrong, although the bands ideas are relatively basic, they make up for it by writing catchy, easily digested tunes.
Songs like Stick Stickly, and What Happens If I Cant… are just a few of the catchy songs found on
Someday Came Suddenly. Using the simplistic guitar work to create riffs that get lodged deep into your brain, such as at the 40-second mark in Dr. Shavargo Pt. 3, Attack! Attack!’s guitarists, while not being at the technical level of say August Burns Red, get the job done in a proficient manner. Keys play an important role on this album, from the techno break at the 2:40 mark in Stick Stickly, to the 2 minute and 7 second interlude, which is entirely keys, the keyboards play a prominent role on
Someday Came Suddenly. The drums, when not being electric, are your standard metalcore drums. Not amazing, but good enough to keep the album moving. Bass is as always, inaudible.
Now for the single thing that may irk listeners more then the “crabcore: antics, the vocals. Mixing harsh vocals with obviously autotuned clean vocals, I personally think Attack! Attack! boasts one of the more unique (well not so much anymore) vocals combinations in metal. The screamer, while not being as good as say Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath, is not as bad as Oli Sykes is on Suicide Season, so I can’t say I’m complaining. The autotuned vocals are another issue. Many people find this is just a cover for a vocalist who cannot sing, and although I agree with this theory, I enjoy the use of autotune on this album. It seems to work well with the European dance style keys that are used, and gives the band a unique element between heavy parts and the more dreamy atmospheric sections.
Although many of you will quickly neg me on this review because of your bias’, I hope I at least convinced a few souls to give this album a closer listen. While not the best metalcore album I have heard (or even in the top 15) it is still a fun album to listen to every once in a while.
