Review Summary: You like average generic breakdowns with pop singing you say?
Switching from screaming to singing has become the all the rage now days. Instead of expressing anger, sadness, and all the pain we go through in our journey through life, it is used to make you popular and maybe even get you on Warped Tour, a tour where you are good if you and your friends can push each other around to the breakdowns. Talent and originality can occasionally be found in this approach, but does Blessthefall , a Christian Metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, fulfill this expectation we all want? No.
The album opens up with "A Message to the Unknown." As soon as you get halfway through this song, you realize how hard they are trying to appeal to everyone. One thing is apparent, this band loves breakdowns, quite possibly the worst thing to ever happen to music. Open chords are everywhere with terribly average guitar that is suppose to leave an "apocalyptic" feel. The Bass is practically nonexistent, but he is just picking open notes to the double bass to make you 'want' to head bang. Craig's singing vocals are some of the whiniest, most pop laden vocals in a Metalcore band. Then comes the single "Guys Like You Make Us Look Bad", a song with a fairly decent meaning but is put together with hopes of achieving brutality while still remaining sing-a-longish and appealing to the ladies.
As the album progress, they try to pull out some ballads just in case you didn't like the screaming. It is obvious this band wants everyone to like them. Cheesy terrible electronic drums are heard in the background over the same vocal range you heard in the first half of the album. Nothing different or unusual here.
The breakdowns and double pedal come in again trying to start a mosh pit. "Black Rose Dying" has some of the worst lyrics my ears have bled to. They cry about their love betraying them with the same lyrics over... and over... and over. If you are going to be a 'Christian' band, write about things that compel the listener and make them think. Lessons should be taken from mewithoutYou. The final song is one last attempt to redeem themselves and reach music originality. Does this happen? Of course not. It is the exact same formula as the rest of the album. With the long song duration, you would hope maybe this is their attempt at progressive music. My hopes were soon proved wrong by discovering a secret track. A terrible attempt at humor and randomness about some Purple Dog on a Sunday Afternoon.
The one thing that shines on this album is the drums. He is not very good with his arms and it is either a 1-2-3-4- hi-hat count or a slow breakdown China, but the double pedal outshines. He is fairly fast, you cannot deny it. Just because it is fast does not mean it is technical or new.
If you like generic breakdowns and mediocre vocals that vary from screaming to singing like flickering a light switch, you may find this enjoyable. Some of the choruses can be catchy becoming a slight guilty pleasure and the drums have their moments, but the rest of this album is painfully average and generic. This band reminds me why the ozone layer is depleting thanks to all the hairspray this band and their scene kid fans use preparing for shows.