Review Summary: At least it's better than "Silent Treatment", but was that a difficult task? Apparently...
7 of 9 thought this review was well writtenraw score -
2.7
The Bled have got to be the most confusing band on the scene today. One minute they’re salivating everyone’s glands with
Pass the Flask in hopes that they’ll be able to carry the genre when it would eventually come to a dry spell, the next minute they’re releasing
Found In the Flood,
Silent Treatment, and now
Heat Fetish.
My main problem with this cd is how it’s essentially one long song; it took me by surprise to learn there were actually 12 songs on this album. Maybe it’s due to the early listening stages and still not having become situated with each song, or maybe it’s because the band has no idea how to transition and/or expand upon ideas. The seconds we’re allowed to breathe between tracks 1-3 are moot since they each do nothing to distinguish themselves from one another.
“Smoke Breaks” is the first instance where the band actually change direction in both sound and premise. Where the first 6 minutes or whatever are led by mind numbing chugging; the band stammers into the song revealing to the world the serious hard on they have for
Every Time I Die. This of course does not result in the song being good. After the first half of the songs’ intention to bleed the listener’s ear of annoyance with distortion and laughable harsh vocals the latter half resides solely on a tired breakdown. This leads to the second problem I have with the album. The band is a two trick pony, albeit they do use the two tricks that make metalcore more enjoyable (making the understanding even more depressing knowing the genre has very little in its arsenal), either distort the airwaves relentlessly “When Exiting Your Vehicle” or break everything down - “Meet Me In the Bone Orchard” .
The cd does have its redeeming merits though, “Crowbait” leads in with an intro that sounds identical to every other song on the second half of the record, but that’s beside the point. With off kilter cleans and an aggressive lead the song is everything this album
could and should have been. Stealing less from their forbearers the band set out to refine what made their debut so intriguing. “Need New Conspirators” also has a sexy intro bass groove with an appropriate amount of distortion that reveals The Bled actually know how to balance their weapons. Lastly, and most unfortunate, “Night Errors” is the only other time the band actually try breaking up their monotonic sound; sadly it’s too little too late and we’re left hoping they fair better in the future.
