Review Summary: Catchy metalcore the way it's supposed to be. Introducing No Bragging Rights.
The Consequence Of Dreams is the debut album from Riverside, California's No Bragging Rights. This album is quintessential metalcore crossed with elements of pop punk through Mike Perez's soaring clean vocals and harsh screams. If you like Jonny Craig-esque vocals mixed in with technical guitar riffs not unlike Misery Signals, this is for you.
The first notable thing about No Bragging Rights is the powerful cleans and harsh screams that draw you in to what these guys are trying to achieve which is a catchy plus technical metalcore album. The title track is the softest song on the album but is one of my favorites due to it's great melody and riff. Although the typical metalcore traits are present including chug-chug riffs, the guitarists are able to show us that they can write a very catchy riff and mix things up rather then going for the same song structure along with very similar riffs.
''Setting The Tone'' does just that, sets the tone for the album. This leads into heavy hitter ''To The People That I Consider Cowards'' when Mike Perez's great cleans introduce us to the next 40 minutes of enjoyable enough metalcore. Lead single ''A Shot To End This All'' is one of the strongest on the album combining a catchy riff with a fantastic chorus showcasing Mike Perez's great ability to manage great cleans but also a very strong screaming voice as well. His ability to change things up will keep listeners interested and willing to continue to listen to the rest of the album. The strongest song on this album is without a doubt ''Ode To Logan''. Here a fantastic, rather complex and fast riff is combined with brilliant vocals. The chorus is also very strong and will be in your head for days after a few listens.
One supreme quality of this album is it's lasting value, l can guarantee many different parts of each song will be in your head and you will be enticed to give the album another listen. It does take a few full listens to really judge it and give it an appropriate rating. It is definitely not an album you can judge on the first listen.
The production of this is a typical of a debut album. It's not great but it's not too bad either, although the bass is lost in the mix just like many metalcore albums, the bass does it's job of backing up the guitars and producing a heavy hitting breakdown at the start of ''Home Away From Home''
One problem some people will have with this is that it's nothing new. Emarosa style vocals mixed with some generic breakdowns that could be compared to A Day To Remember may force some listeners to leave and write these guys off. But these can be overlooked once the album begins to spin, as you are drawn in by Mike's fantastic soaring clean vocals.
No Bragging Rights introduced us to their great style of metalcore and subsequent albums l feel have not lived up to this very strong debut. Give this album a chance and you may just find a real gem.
Recommended Tracks:
A Shot To End This All
The Consequence Of Dreams
Ode To Logan
