Review Summary: This is what mature metalcore sounds like.
10 of 10 thought this review was well writtenWhen the term ‘mathcore’ comes up, bands like Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan undoubtedly come to mind. These bands have come up with arguably flawless technical metalcore albums -
We Are the Romans and
Calculating Infinity respectively - that have been emulated by numerous other bands, but never matched. Still, most people get caught up with these two bands that they tend to ignore the lesser known mathcore albums. Some people have the mindset ‘if it isn’t very popular, it must not be very good’ which might be the case for most generic records, but hidden amongst the mediocrity is a hidden gem entitled
Charmer.
The best way to describe the sound on this album is a mixture of Converge and Botch. In reality though, Breather Resist have their own sound. They don’t just sit in the comfort zone of metalcore - they go outside the box. This is apparent even in the very first song, “An Insomniac’s Complexion”. The part beginning at 1:16 is one of the most beautiful progressions I’ve heard in any genre, let alone metalcore. Also, you can’t tell me that you can listen to the intro of “Loose Lipped Error” and not have the feeling that someone’s watching you from behind. Speaking of which, the atmosphere the band provides is excellent, as shown by the creepiness of “Loose Lipped Error”, the disjointedness of the intro in “As Far as Goodbye’s Go”, and the doom-esque feel of “Amphetamine Praise”. Seriously, this band refused to create a typical metalcore album.
Of course, the musicians must be worthy if they’re able to create such deep music. Vocalist Steve Sindoni has a near-flawless metalcore scream, with a perfect amount of rawness and pure emotion. Aside from his vocals, his lyrics are pretty deep as well. I mean, I seldom pay any attention to lyrics whatsoever, but the message found in “As Far as Goodbyes Go” is truly heartfelt, supposedly about Sindoni’s dying mother.
She's not moving, she's not breathing.
I’m afraid this time she's not going to wake up.
They say I’ve got your eyes.
She was so cold.
I’ve got those eyes I had to close.
The guitarist provides great riffs and feedback when necessary to provide atmosphere, but I believe the real powerhouse in the riff department is the bass. In songs like “A Social Worker’s Nightmare” and “Midas in Reverse”, you can hear the distorted bass driving the band with the main riff while the guitarist is providing the ominous atmosphere. The drummer does a good job of holding the band together with well crafted beats to fit into the odd time signatures. Overall, the band members have a synergy that makes the album sound that much better.
All in all, this album is simply superb. There’s no other way to put it. From to the opening noises of “An Insomniac’s Complexion” to the distorted vocals at the end of “Astigmatism”, there is not one part of this album that can be considered poor or below-par. When recommending metalcore albums, the primary albums of discussion should be
Jane Doe,
We Are the Romans,
Calculating Infinity, and
Charmer.
Recommended Tracks
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An Insomniac’s Complexion
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Keep ‘Em in Stitches
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Loose Lipped Error
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Midas in Reverse
