Review Summary: You're made of character...
Deathcore, for what it is worth, is a subgenre that is littered with many copycat bands, feeding off the influence and prolific masters of the genre in what I call the 'first wave' of metalcore/deathcore. In all honesty, the majority of deathcore bands weren't that great and the ones that showed promise or potential seemed to fade away or sell out. However, hidden opal stone gems of albums cropped up here and there and this particular album by War From a Harlots Mouth is one of those records.
In Shoals is a very refined, well produced and well written album. In terms of songwriting, structure and execution, they hit the nail right in the coffin. There is a fantastic mix of metalcore, deathcore and jazz (their jazzy interludes could probably be considered their little 'gimmick' or trademark) and many of the tracks presented here are of brilliant quality and essential replay value. They are quite a technical band - the drums interweave with the guitars very well. The bass is audible (seemed to be fashionable to mix the bass out in many albums of this ilk) and there is a solid collection of riffs and guitar wizardry to digest. There are a few very noticeable highlights scattered over the course of the album. These include Crooks at Your Door, The Certain Nothing and the fantastic, if simplified and rather cyclic album closer, named Scully. War From a Harlots Mouth possess a very strong skill and ability to pull off this sort of deathcore to a tee - there are literally no boring tracks that drag, or sections of songs that sound disjointed and adjunct. Album runtime is short and sweet, pushing just over the half hour mark. Nico, the vocalist is a very talented guy and the vocals presented here are full of vitriol and great technique. He has a fantastiic range, easily switching between guttural lows and ear-piercing shrieks. All in all, there is a lot to admire on here. Album opener No High Five for C. Howard sets the pace for the rest of the album, providing the listener with trademark atonal rhythmic guitars, very mathcore inspired pieces weaved into all of the chaos in an incredibly tight, concise and calculated album. In short, this is a grower - when it clicks, you're in for a favourite album label. But the real meat and potatoes lie in the two tracks that stick out- them being The Certain Nothing and the album closer Scully.
The pace of these of two tracks is slowed down. The guitars are a little more simplified in terms of riffage but, imagine if Tool were a deathcore band and you'll definitely recognise what I mean when you compare the two tracks to what sounds like maybe Tool with a different vibe (with screaming and shouting). The midway point of Scully (when everything slows down to a snail's pace. The atmospheres in these two tracks is incredible - I think if the band adopted this style, then they had every bit of kit and motivation and skill to pull it off in a larger quantity or range that balances with the more technical side of the group.
I am very fond of this album. I have listened to it very frequently throughout the past year and I have to say, I never tire of listening to it.
If you like deathcore/metalcore/mathcore to any degree, this album is a strong and superb piece of music that features great musicianship, great riffs, great production etc. There are the odd few uninspired bits on tracks that maybe could have been refined a bit more but in general, this album is a contender for one of the best of its kind. War From a Harlots Mouth prove that they had the minerals and panache to deliver a very intense and impressive album. Anyone into the genres I've mentioned throughout this review, whom reveres it will most likely be fans of the type of genre and they will love this.
