Review Summary: Although flawed, The Carrier release a solid and intense introduction to 2011
Boston, Massachusetts' The Carrier started off by playing a perfect blend of intense hardcore and intelligent songwriting, leading to critically acclaimed releases such as
No Love Can Save Me and
One Year Later. This year's release,
Blind to What is Right, continues The Carrier's onslaught of brutal intensity.
The album kicks off with the title track, and the band immediately opens floodgates to release a frenetic fury of riffs and snare rolls, exploding with energy. The album continues displaying an aural beatdown, with the guitars spewing chunky distorted riffs mixed with dissonant harmonies. The vocals, supplied by powerhouse Anthony Traniello, also add to the destruction. Screams of pure frustration and hatred fill the mix, dominated by words of frail despair and hopelessness.
As the album progresses, the brutality doesn't let up for a second. The production is extremely crisp and clear, with every instrument and riff (minus bass) prevalent in the mix. Wave after wave of musical attacks pummel the listener into submission. Songs like "In Silence Together" and "Everyone Who I knew and Loved is Gone" force the listener into a circle pit from hell, while "Wash Away My Sins" trudges through a mudslide.
Unfortunately, the album has some very apparent flaws. The onslaught of distorted riffs and pounding drums never takes a breather, and the album suffers for it. The album is constantly filled with passages to mosh to, so much that it eventually becomes stale. By the end of the album, you will have difficulty telling the songs apart from one another. Another flaw with the album is that it's dominated by cliche hardcore songwriting and lyrics, the same you've heard over and over, again and again.
Although a far from perfect album, The Carrier deliver an enjoyable and fierce introduction to 2011. Blind to What is Right is a solid and intense melodic hardcore listen. The band is really good at what they do, and since they are still perfecting their craft, they might yet surprise us with an incredible release in the future.
My Rating: 3.5/5
