Review Summary: Wholly consistent yet almost completely unremarkable.
Deathcore stereotypes aside, it’s been demonstrated (by bands like Emmure) that when it comes to making a name yourself in the deathcore scene, talent really isn’t a factor. However, a deathcore band with talent definitely a plus, as aptly shown by Bleed from Within. They sure as hell can play their instruments, they can put songs together pretty well, and they actually have potential to be an excellent band. Thing is, deathcore is an extremely limited genre for expression. Even the best deathcore bands incorporate other influences to give them some form of uniqueness. Unfortunately on 2013’s
Uprising, Bleed from Within do not, and what we’re left with is a 50-minute tread through the monotonous headache that is generic deathcore.
Uprising starts promising with a minute long intro setting the mood of the record, but from ‘Colony’ on is like listening to the same song twelve times with ever so slight modifications. This brings me to the main thing
Uprising has going for it: consistency. Not one song is noticeably worse than another, nor is any song much better (only exceptions being ‘Uprising’ and ‘Devotion’ which are easily the best of the bunch). The riffs and drumming are what you’d expect from a metalcore record – standard issue breakdowns, fast thrashy sections connecting said breakdowns, and the occasional clean interlude to break up the monotony. The vocals and production are worthy of a mention though. Scott Kennedy has a full, rich tone in his screams and can hit highs and lows like it's nobodies business, and the production is clear enough to pick out each rhythm guitar counter melody yet muddy enough to provide a brooding, dense atmosphere to the already dissonant riffs.
There are admittedly great things at work here. Some guitar work is very solid by melodic metalcore standards and a number of breakdowns are damn crushing (‘Our Divide’ comes to mind). ‘Strive’ also has some nice grooves, the shout section in the title track can pump anyone up, and ‘Devotion’ closes the album out with a culmination of the greatest highs on the album compact into a short four and a half minutes. In a sense,
Uprising is a harmless release. Its consistency is enough to please both longtime fans and casual headbangers, plus the lack of mindless chugging prevents Bleed from Within from falling into the same pit other deathcore bands do. However, if you’re expecting any form of innovation or replay value on
Uprising, there’s no doubt you’ll be left sorely disappointed.
