Review Summary: Everyone Dies In Utah slipped under the radar & now they're back with a strong debut effort.
Everyone Dies In Utah were predominant in the music scene around 2008-2009 when they were first signed by Tragic Hero. During that time they toured and released an EP, after that they switched up the line-up and went into the studio in 2010 to create 'Seeing Clearly'. Everyone Dies In Utah have crafted an album, which isn't by no means genre defining yet it is a very good musical effort. The Post-hardcore sextet have returned with a bite and they don't intend on letting go just yet.
Vocals:
Danny Martinez and Justin Yost provide the vocals for 'Seeing Clearly', Danny, screams and Justin sings. Danny's screams have a distinct sound, they display emotion and he tends to stick to one range throughout the album. His scream is a mixture of both the high and low spectrum and sounds quite gruff and at moments 'throaty'. He does push his range whether it be lower or to higher and he does it well, he carries his screams tightly and it suits EDIU's overall sound. At points, he does seem rather strained like his pushing his voice too hard and it can come across forceful, not everyone will enjoy his screams; they may take some time to get used to because of their distinct sound. It would of been nice if he tried to demonstrate his range a bit more but overall Danny is a good, strong screamer. The clean vocals on the other hand are absolutely great, Justin has a great voice and for once in this scene an album isn't plagued by auto-tune, only on two brief occasions was there a hint of auto-tune but that was to fit within the song's specific sound and even then it wasn't over-exuberant. Justin sings each word with precision and has a whole 'Rock n' Roll' feeling to his voice; his vocal range floats around a mid-octave, sometimes pushing a bit higher. Justin creates a contrast to Danny as the singing/screaming combination is generally meant too; Justin is the calmer, elegant side of 'SC' whereas Danny is the more angry, darker side. Both vocalists perform well on this album. 4/5
Musicianship(including Lyrical ability):
EDIU try and switch it up, by this I mean they don't stick to the 'chug chug chug' formula, they add some creative riffs here and there and the guitars at times actually shine and add that extra something to the song, instead of it sounding bland and lacklustre. They do obviously have breakdowns in their music, its expected, but instead of just throwing them around like no tomorrow they include them to actually add to/improve the song (Example: Bed, Bath & Beyonce) it improves the overall feel/vibe of the song.
The drums are fairly good and they boost the atmosphere of 'SC', they're generally played at a nice pace. EDIU also uses the dreaded synthesiser, however it isn't over-used on this album, it reinforces the music, it makes some songs a lot more interesting too. Due to the synth being used at certain parts of a song, when it actually appears, you actually enjoy and appreciate it rather than thinking 'here we go again'. Lyrically, it's your typical Post-hardcore album, it follows the pattern of life's hardships, what its like being in a band and various personal experiences; some parts are catchy and some parts you won't really care for. Musically 'SC' is pretty strong, it sticks to the usual formula of the Post-hardcore genre but they switch things up and try and sound creative. 3.5/5
Sound:
The sound of 'SC' is a dark, atmospheric sonic venture with points of light-heartedness, the sound varies throughout but doesn't tend to stray too far from the path. The synth/electronics sound good, bringing momentum to the album and climaxes to songs. The easiest way to describe 'SC' is a toned down version of Attack! Attack's! 'Someday Came Suddenly' however it sounds better. The production is crisp and clear, you're able to hear the stand-out moments clearly when you're intended too, the instruments sound good and powerful. The album isn't that heavy, it has its moments, it sustains a level of heaviness, which never really changes unless the clean vocals are present only then does it really soften sonically; which approaches the more 'rock-y' territory.
Seeing Clearly sounds really good, although it could be better by expanding sonically and mixing things up a bit more rather than having a set level of sound. 3.5/5
EDIU's debut effort is great and it delivers everything a good Post-hardcore album mixed with electronica should do, its a fun album with an overall dark-tone and it fits like a glove. EDIU could of experimented a bit more especially with their overall sound, near the end of the record you can notice a slight pattern of repetition. Overall, EDIU have stepped up to the plate and kicked off 2011 with a solid start, now they just have to strive to improve and perfect their sound.
Recommended songs:
Bed, Bath & Beyonce: A strong song overall, demonstrates instrumental ability; it's quite catchy too.
Dance War: Excellent synth intro carried throughout the song.
Adrian Makes It Rain: Very strong vocally, the song sounds very big and bold, climatic near the end.
Simply Me: The only song to have singing without being accompanied by screams. The most emotional invoking song on 'SC'. A fitting end.
(Each song on the album has something to offer, whether it be synth/heavier/softer parts etc, also do not let the song titles put you off, they are silly but it doesn't affect the album)
