Review Summary: "And as long as I bite my tongue/Neither side won't win"
Chaotic hardcore. All searches of the band Statues labels the band as this. Trouble is, what bands come to mind when thinking of 'chaotic hardcore'? The Dillinger Escape Plan? Every Time I Die? Well, Statues doesn't give a ***. They've decided to become a blend of both, sprinkling their own unique sound and chemistry on top, allowing their debut album 'Together We're Alone' to be mind-blowing in both craziness and shear heaviness, and in the process creating maybe one of the best albums of the year.
Even in the opening track 'All Fears Are Learned, All Victories Are Earned', Statues introduce themselves with a fiery vengeance, trying their damnedest to have your head swimming and your head banging. The subtle opening few seconds explodes into the bands extraordinary vocalist Jayme Van Keulen screaming and shrieking his way through the one and a half minute length. His voice and tone, reminiscent of... well, nothing. Jayme's voice is extremely unique, allowing for him ease through the tracks, easily exchanging between both highs and lows with precision and savage execution. His lyrics, brimming with flow and meaning, allows for something incredible. Take 'Affliction Prescription' for example. The opening line of “We breathe out, but we can never catch our breath again as we're, always chasing what has been prescribed by the wise and in the know.” is both thought-provoking in the sense that it perfectly describes today's culture, but is also catchy and perfectly blends with the wild nature of the music.
Even ignoring the vocals, the rest of the band keeps up with the frantic pace, and provides suitable music for the songs. Guitarists John Overthrow and Scott Kay play a key part in the structure of the album. Their constant riffs, licks, and time signature changes test even the well-trained to keep up, perfectly blending with the vocals. Even bassist Matthew Templeton is given free reign, providing not only a suitable backbone, but also an intriguing bass line that takes no effort to find and stays as frantic as the rest of the band. However, special recognition must be given to drummer Daniel Harper. Boy can the man play. The constant presence of the ever-changing drum patterns, blast beats and double bass provides an incredibly unique display. Just listen to 'The Wanderer' and you'll understand.
Even with the 'Chaotic Hardcore' tag placed on their band, Statues finds the time to provide even more change within the album. The song 'I Want Peace', with its sudden change to clean vocals and a simple clap-beat in the background, provides an expectantly catchy song, and provides the listener a chance to catch a breath from the chaotic song prior to it, before transitioning into the sudden heaviness of 'Abide'. Even later on, 'Hope Is' provides an American-Western guitar-oriented song, providing yet another reprieve. Both of these 'breaks' don't feel out of place or forced, and perfectly provide flow in a frenetic album. Once again, the song leads into another ***-kicker, 'Within Arm's Reach', the last song on the album, providing heaviness, emotion, and mellow song writing.
Statues dare you to listen. With its hardcore-influenced sound, its catchy off-pace song writing, its sudden changes, and its comparison to other popular hardcore acts, the band kicks your face in, just to pop it out again and kick it in again. Everything about the album is perfect. Nothing feels forced or out of place, and even 'odd' tracks such as the aforementioned 'I Want Peace' feel natural and perfectly fit into the album. The scope of the album is immense, but Statues wants you to try this one on for size.
