Review Summary: Anyone who enjoys the screamo/metalcore genre or appreciates solid guitar playing should definitely give this a try.
Also for fans of the "new" Sky Eats Airplane, but who tend to enjoy a heavier sound (gives perspective to SEA's sound change)
(In Theory)’s never released “full length” (disc clocks in at a whopping 26:34) turns out be one of the best metalcore/screamo albums I’ve ever had the opportunity to enjoy. The album was well recorded with top-notch quality, so don’t expect to hear the same ol’ cheap demo sound.
Unfortunately, the band disbanded prior to releasing the CD, though all 9 tracks could be found on iTunes.(or you can hear 4 tracks on their myspace www.myspace.com/intheory1)
The album starts with an unnecessary 41 second intro, with its only redeeming factor being the title. I was told that is has to do with “getting head.”
Beyond that, you realize that most of the track titles are kind of…dumb, but who knows, they could have just been working titles that were so ridiculous they just stuck. Moving on…
The album’s real opener, “Shart Attacks” kicks things off with an intense sounding breakdown backed by some double-bass, which is never a bad way to get things going. Before you know it, the band’s catchy/poppy side appears, before heading back into blast beats and some creative guitar work. Only a minute into the track and you realize you’re about to listen to some impressive guitar play, heavy breakdowns, and catchy emo-esque singing. The band changes styles drastically and just as sporadically, and while you listen to the song you wonder how such dynamic shifts work, but who cares as long it sounds good. The song ends just how it began, and turns out to be a great opening song.
“Shluttz” is a straight up pop-punk song, with an up-beat tempo and catchy vocals, if you disallow for the one breakdown that manages to slip its way in.
The following song, “Blending Realistic with Fantastic”, happens to be a re-recording of the same song that was found on the band’s previous release. This is probably the heaviest song, from start to finish, on the album. The song offers up lots of great guitar play, from its breakdowns and metal riffs, to its mathcore elements and guitar sw33pz. The track finishes off with one of the albums better breakdowns.
“Saved by the Bell 90210” is another one of the band’s poppier tracks, however, it does happen include to even more creative riffs and a couple breakdowns.
At this point, you’ve realized you’ve heard an obnoxious amount of breakdowns, and you’re about to hear plenty more, but at least they’re all pretty good (compared to others in the genre).
“There Was Magic Everywhere and Mel Gibson” again starts off with more catchy singing, although this time more impressive than the rest. Ace’s vocals certainly aren’t the best to ever be recorded, but for the sole singer/screamer of a band he does more than hold his own. The singing that decorates the track encourages you to sing-along, until you remember you don’t fully know the lyrics yet. The band does throw in a few more breakdowns, before leading into a well written solo that melts perfectly into the song, and shows off the lead guitarist’s ability to shred. (though its not quite the album’s best solo. One of the top-2 songs on this disc, and if you look on that one video site we all know, you might still be able to find a music video for it.
Succeeded by the poppiest of all the song’s, “Goshdarn Hootenanny”, turns out to be another personal favorite. Nothing in particular, just happens to be a good listen.
**Long explanation for the next song, but surprisingly it is warranted.
You can follow along to my words OR just check it out for yourself and not let me spoil the surprises, especially if you’re a fan of great fret work.
“The Bonnie Situation” (some of you Tarantino fans may catch the reference) is easily the album’s stand out track. It easily surpasses “Blending…” as the heaviest material on the album, if it weren’t for the random Banjo fragment and its containing of the softest moment; a jazz movement? After a very short intro, the song delivers one of the better metal riffs ever laid down, followed by a really cool lead between the chugs of a mathcore-ish breakdown(try counting beats in between the chugs…2, 1, 3, 5). The chaos doesn’t quite stop there, as a quick grind piece hits you before getting back to the technical metal riffs. Once a again, a really heavy breakdown follows all of that…wait was that a banjo?...then more of said breakdown before beeing rudely interrupted by a little jazz influenced number, reminiscent of Eric Johnson’s “Cliffs of Dover.” (Big ups to those of you who knew that song pre-GH3). This “jazz” piece presents the aforementioned best solo on the album and is just a brilliant piece of musicianship. The song soon disintegrates back into the track’s opening riff before unleashing the biggest, and possibly best placed, 808 kick I think anyone will ever hear. giving the song’s ending breakdown that “brutal” feel everyone loves(should be found on several youtube top 10 most brutal breakdowns ever lists had it been heard by more people). Needless to say, the song ends with bad ass southern-rock sounding riff.
The album ends with “Nerd Alert,” which would have gone down as the band’s “hit,” ya know, the one everyone would expect for an encore. The album’s highlight vocal performance makes you wonder why such a talented band never went any further. Even the track’s heavy moment doesn’t suffer from sounding forced and actually turns out to be one of the more creative pieces of the album.
Every song on the album is worth a listen, and considering that the total album length is less than half an hour, I’d assume you could find the time (rush hour traffic maybe). Nevertheless, for those of you who really want only the best of the best, skip the intro (obviously)…and maybe “Saved by the Bell 90210,” the rest are must listens. Yep
So if you’re a fan of heavy bands, but like some relief via catchy hooks and outstanding musicianship, or vice versa, poppy bands with heavy moments, you shant be disappointed.