Review Summary: "I'm coming back to life again."
As an avid fan of an artist’s older material it can be difficult to accept the fact that they changed their sound let alone enjoy it. The transition from a sound that is entirely made up of ferocious ska-punk to a sound blending together pop-punk and melodic hardcore can be a tricky one to pull off. The Flatliners have always been masters at creating songs willing the listener to speed through stop signs and playground zones whether they rely on the the catchy up and down “skank” of their guitars or the emotionally intense vocals implemented by vocalist Chris Cresswell, as he overlaps furious yet melodic power chords. Whatever your preference, The Flatliners pretty much guarantee you a good time.
For a band that gained a fan base by playing countless shows all over Ontario and gained recognition almost exclusively through word of mouth, it comes as no surprise that The Flatliners would be most comfortable playing small sweaty clubs and dimly lit bars with a sound fitting to that. “Dead Language” presents us with a more instrumentally honed version of “Cavalcade” that doesn’t rely nearly as much on the vocals to maintain the listeners interest.
Instantly it becomes apparent that the band has become more comfortable with their sound. A possible comparison being “Cavalcades” closer and “Dead Languages” opener. Where the songs may feel like a part one and part two series, this time around the lyrics and atmosphere convey a message of a light at the end of the tunnel where as the latter felt unsure and utterly hopeless. From the nostalgic clean guitar picking to the album exploding into typical Flatliners fashion, everything just seems to come together. As I mentioned before, the band has almost dropped their ska-punk roots completely. Where as the last two albums had “The Great Awakes” danceable number “The Respirator” and “Cavalcade” had the dark and slowed down “He Was A Jazzman,” “Dead Language” has chosen to drop the influence completely. This will yet again make it difficult for any fans still clinging on to their 2005 debut LP “Destroy To Create” to grasp.
The album doesn’t change it up as much as their previous effort but is much more consistent which works in its favor. The ever present gang vocals, quick drumming and catchy guitar work will make for the energetic live show that Flatliners fans will expect and where the album lacks in intensity compared to their older work, it makes up for in honesty and emotion.
