Review Summary: Killing the Dream expand their sound a bit on their latest "full-length."
Killing the Dream have been getting some serious hype. Their last album, Fractures, was hailed as an outstanding piece of relentless, pissed-off hardcore excellence. The follow-up, Lucky Me, shows us a band that is still plying at a break-neck pace, but also willing to mature and expand their sound rather than rehash the same aggression time and time again. At a time when “hardcore” is full of endless breakdowns and repeatedly jamming the same simple chords to create the same simple songs, change and creativity are a must for anything to be worth attention. Killing the Dream have realized this. Lucky us.
With the first track, stand-out “Blame the Architects,” KtD have crafted a perfect microcosm of the album. Furious screams and strong-arming guitars assert dominance immediate. But suddenly, sandwiched between aggressive outbursts is a brief, yet effective, string-accompanied breath of fresh air. It is a sudden, beautiful, cavernous opening. The strings are exquisite in the brief moment of peace. Tension-diffusing drums kick in, creating a powerful, dramatic force. The short buildup becomes rapidly becomes one of the album’s best moments, easily setting up the interweaving of the earlier aggression and later texture.
That, in all reality, defines Lucky Me: trademark aggression paired with a developing sense for melody. Unfortunately, the album’s short length translates into a lack of depth. Another ten minutes would give the album a more finished feel, and a stronger ability to reel listeners in. More moments like the one on “Blame the Architects“ would only help, as their unexpected presence and power are irresistible.
At least, they are when done right. The clean vocals attempted on “Testament” are just not good, ill-fitting and somewhat frail. They start off okay, a good change-up, but are quickly over-used and become strained aiming for notes that are just a little too high to be worth it. While the attempt is admirable, it would be better to leave the melodies to the instruments, for they have shown their ability to consistently create them. They show it again on the very same track with an excellent performance by the rhythm section keeps the song afloat with a strong, gloomy undertone that kicks at the perfect moments.
In reality, that is the strongest and most consistent part of the album. The instrumentation is tight and focused throughout, fluctuating between subtle, emotive stylings and heavy riffs easily. The guitars are relentless, with the occasional technical burst for added effect, and there are some absolutely filthy bass lines (“Walking, Diseased“, “Black”).
Ultimately, the biggest problem with the album is the length. The occasional forays into more atmospheric, sublte territory rather than the easier in-your-face crunch are almost always well done and quite effective - “Blame the Architects,” “Part IV (Sinner’s Failure)” and “Black” are the best examples - but I feel drawing them out a bit more - or adding a few more moments in the form of a few more tracks - would help the music create more suspense, stronger emotion, and an ultimately more climactic final product. After “Black,” the finale that is an excellent blend of the dissonant and melodic elements of Lucky Me, we are left wanting more. Normally this is good, but this time… there’s a feeling that there should be.
As is, with its seven tracks totaling a sparse twenty minutes, Lucky Me is a swift, harsh kick to the musical senses, maintaining a large dose of the aggression displayed on Fractures paired with a little more artistic noodling. Moments like “Part IV (Sinner’s Failure)” are golden, as KtD show that they aren’t afraid to break the mold a bit, letting their stellar musicianship shine. This is a step in the right direction by a band that was already killing it. Now if only it was a little longer.
