Review Summary: Well written and put together metalcore.
I found myself one Monday night not too long ago, with nothing to do. My facebook had been checked and rechecked, there was nothing good on TV, and my Xbox sat in a corner gathering dust. I was, in every connotation of the word, bored. My options were something that involves Aveeno lotion and pornographic material, or forking over $17 (!) to attend a date of the fallaciously named, Napalm and Noise tour. I, not really out of a desire to see one of my favorite bands of the mid 2000's, more out of proclivity to hear "American Love" a song that was perplexedly left off of their set the last time I saw them, combined with the fact that my mom was on her way home, chose the latter. Two phone calls, a twenty minute drive and $17 later, I was listening to HTD's opener, a song I barley recognized. (I think it was track 1 off Dreamer). I waited through the next four "new" songs for something I could get into. It came in the form of "Blue 42", Burning Bridges' opener. As that song pulled to a close, I heard the words that you hate to hear the most at a concert; "We got one more for you."
My emotion was mixed. I, of course wasn't ready for their set to be over after just seven (including the one more) songs. On the other hand it was time, at last, to hear what I assumed to be "American Love." The lead singer continued. "It's an old one" my eyes widened, "sing along if you know it, it's called 'When Everything Falls'." My Jaw dropped. "What the fu....". My Profanity was cut short by the opening breakdown.
On the drive home I was still jonesin' to hear "American Love." So I popped in Burning Bridges and gave it its first listen in over 18 months. I had forgotten how awesome this album was. The vocals, both clean and screamed are superb. The guitar, bass and drum work, while nothing too special, fit vocalists Jimmy Ryan and Brennan Chaulk's voices perfectly. Don't get me wrong, Haste the Day is nothing more than a standard metalcore band but it's the melodic interludes that make Burning Bridges special. The album is 11 mostly midtempo metalcore songs, that ends with an outro that this reviewer honestly has never bothered to listen to. The highlight of the album and of HTD's career, is without a doubt "American Love". The song opens like any other, but about 1.35 into the song the band begins to build up to one of the catchiest breakdowns any band has ever given us. After the ensuing "brootality" the song slows. Heard is just one singer singing "I never should'a let you go, I never should'a let you slip through my arms." The section builds from there, eventually leading to one of the most beautiful musical moments heard this side of a Kenny G album.
The other "single" from the album is "The Closest Thing To Closure," this song is a perfectly structured metalcore song. Good clean and screamed vocals and generic yet not unsatisfying chord progressions finished off with a breakdown that doesn't overstay its welcome. The lyrics "The battle's over, my heart moves on" kickstart the song well before Ryan takes over with a fury. Other songs of note are the great "Song of Faith", the too-short but otherwise wonderful "Breaking my Own Heart" and the above mentioned "Blue-42".
As for lyrical content, the occasional bad; "Your eyes caught me from across the room, you've always had a way with looks" is overlooked by the constant stream of uplifting albeit slightly cheesy lines. "We've got one life to live, we've got to make a change." But honestly, most of Ryan's sung parts are lost because his use of a primal screech type scream, although unique, makes him a little hard to understand. Most of the songs deal with love, love lost or moving beyond one's own personal struggle.
The musicianship on the album is above average. The guitars vary from crapping out standard chord progressions, to mindlessly chugging away on breakdowns, to excellent riffs/solos (Song of Faith). Although the production job wasn't the best, guitarist Jason Barns shines. The bass while audible mostly follows the rhythm guitarist. This gives the music a very nice, heavy feel. The drums on the album are just okay. Most of drummer Devin Chaulk's fills are impressive yet similar sounding tom rolls. He does a very good job with the double bass however, not overusing it and staying away from just mindlessly kicking as fast as he can.
With their debut, Haste the Day had successfully crafted a fairly unique, as far as metalcore goes, sound that entices both headbanging and singing along. Taken as a whole or in individual slices Burning Bridges provides a very satisfying listen.
