Review Summary: Alesana provide an interesting concept, but fail to deliver anything special. Oh yeah, it's an hour long, too.
Ah.. Alesana. People are very split between this band, you either despise them, or don't find them too bad. Now, before you start bashing the album because 'it's another dumb screamo band, herp derp' just hear me out. This album, has departed from Alesana's 'heavy' sound, it places less focus on the screaming vocals, and begins experimenting with more guitar solos, string arrangments, piano and even trumpets. Change can either make or break a band, and Alesana have embraced this change to the best of their ability, unfortunately, this album is an hour long. Can Alesana keep your attention for long enough to change your opinion on them? Let's find out.
A pretentious opening sung in both English and Latin by Shawn and Melissa Milke, while being backed up by piano opens the album, as you get the idea they're really trying to do something epic and different. It's a shame that the introduction lasts almost 2 and a half minutes though. First real track
A Forbidden Dance starts with a low growl and some clean singing while the band joins in playing what could be described as scene-core with trumpets? Listen to it, and you'll understand. Stuttering drums reign supreme through out this song, as it provides and interesting idea, but never really goes anywhere with it. Come to think of it, that basically sums up the whole album.
Alesana provide an interesting concept, but fail to deliver anything special.
The actual music itself has changed drastically from Alesana's earlier sound. As mentioned before, they experiment often during this album. Trumpets, strings, solos plague this album to little aid in an effort to stand out, but they do nothing to add to the track or to further the story. On this album, you will find a hybrid of symphonic-hard rock-post-hardcore i guess you could call it. The concept Milke and Lee have dreamed up this time is a re-telling of a section from Dante's 'The Inferno', the telling of a journey of a man through hell. Which is actually a pretty good metaphor for the album, trying to sit through the whole thing is like hell.
Musicianship from the band is average, as usual, doing little (except for a couple guitar solos) to shine. Drums, as usual, are the best part of the album. Throwing in some fills and rolls every once in a while that don't seem out of place. The production is very strange though, while everything sounds clear and crisp, altogether sounds very odd and unfamiliar, which just adds to the task of listening to the album.
To be fair though, the songs themselves aren't that bad, they're just okay. Alesana has proved that they can write good songs, but that doesnt show on this album. It seems as though they tried the tactic of 'listen to the album as one song', unfortunately, as stated many times before, it just doesn't work.
Bottom line, Alesana get bonus points for trying something new and fresh, but ultimately fall flat on their faces releasing an average concept album, just like their last. The ambition's there, good god, it's there, but the delivery needs some work.
