Review Summary: Very Good album, and strong throughout. Missing Something though...
Vegetable medley. There is something about those words that pumps us up for something that is yet to be explained......well, vegetable medley AND Haste the Day's new album "Dreamer". This album marks the end of their contract with Solid State Records, and they made the best choice for their finale, which will both make Solid State Records flow with tears of joy, and catch the attention of professional record labels.
I admit, I was not pumped for the record until October 13. Only a few days before it came out. What made me come out from under my rock, and hear the new material? The Anti-Mother Tour. That's what. I had gone to see The Showdown, and I heard Children 18:3 (they were great, but a bit out of place for this tour), mychildren my bride (they sucked horribly. no offense to mychildren mybride), and Haste the Day. I know, I missed the almighty Norma Jean, but Haste the Day was fantastic. Not as epic as The Showdown, but they were very good.
Now, call me what you want, but I stopped listening to Haste the Day after When Everything Falls. I really liked the past 2 albums, but I never got around to hear Pressure the Hinges. I'm not too sure why, but I just didn't.
After hearing "Mad Man" live, I was captured. I really like Stephen's voice. Maybe even more than Jimmy's. They said their new record was coming out October 16 (I believe that's the release date), and I was eager to hear more. Sadly, "Mad Man" was the only new song they played on their 45-minute set.
When I had arrived home, I was exhausted, but I forced myself to crawl to the computer, and listen to their album. (It was up for free streaming).
The album opens up with "68", a quite bizzare title, but a strong opener. It starts with everything. Screaming, Heavy thrash-riffed guitars, Thick bass lines, and crazy fast drumming. The intensity is so strong, and it doesn't let up at all until the last second of the tenth track comes.
MUSICALLY: Very strong (as stated earlier). The guitars are a bit different now that there is only one guitarist (Brennan Chaulk), but I am innocently slaughtered now that I've heard it. Very shocking how he is by himself. The bass, although you can barely hear it itself, keeps the song on track, and on the right tempo. Without it...this record is incomplete......ahem........the drums are very good. He uses the double bass kick drum quite often, and does a fill in between every fourth time sig.
VOCALLY: Stephen has a very.......I don't know how I can put it.......I guess I can say "generic" scream? It's good, but it sounds like alot of other band's screams (i.e. Destroy the Runner, Remove the Veil, ect.). But, it's a bit juiced up on this release. He doesn't really scream that much, but growls a bunch. And when I say he growls, I mean he growls. Deep man. Real deep at times. Brennan's singing sounds pretty much the same, but it sounds very good. And he sometimes sounds a bit grungy (Mad Man, Invoke Reform) but, I'm glad to see (or hear) a bit of a variety.
LYRICALLY: A bit puzzling at times, but it still has the same positive Christian theme to it. You can look 'em up here (www.christianrocklyrics.com/hastetheday).
Overall, the album is really good, and strong throughout.
Pick it up.
