Memphis May Fire
Challenger

Release Date: 2012 | Tracklist

Well wow. An album has never flown by as quickly as this superb masterpiece has. Clearly Memphis May Fire has come a long way, blending different forms of metal to a southern sound, a heavier sound and pretty much any form of sound they want. Matty has always wrote his lyrics passionately, backed by very elite singing and screaming to bring out his emotion. Not to mention the instruments aren't there to fill in the gaps. They have always backed his emotion with extreme brutality or the perfect amount of synth and passion. There aren't any filler songs here, guys.

You can recognize Matty's sincerity in Without Walls, fully accepting the mistakes he's made and pressing on. You could say this album is his autobiography. Every song is mixed perfectly, and they all lead right into the next seamlessly. Rise Records actually has a fantastic band signed to them, if you compare Memphis to the rest of their bands that is. You can hear some of their southern roots in the solo on Alive in the Lights, along with Matty's passion to voice his story. Prove Me Right opens with the wonderful guitar work you will hear throughout the whole album. Prove Me Right voices how Memphis May Fire, as a band, were screwed over when previously signed to Trustkill records, not receiving any payment from them whatsoever. Red In Tooth And Claw is one of the highlights in the album. It's almost got it all actually: a southern sound, head-banging breakdowns, layered guitar that is absolutely pulled off wonderfully, and it opens with a nice drum fill from their own Jake Garland. Let's not forget that chorus! Vices, the 5th song on the album, has a more The Hollow/Between the Lies sound, for fans of their previous, less southern work. And that's a great thing. Matty expresses how guilty one would feel by living a life under the influence, not letting anyone in to love.

Speaking of Matty, let me note that his vocals have never been better. They've actually never been bad either. But it seems with each album they drop, he only improves. The same could be said for the rest of the band as a whole. Musically, they understand each other perfectly, backing each and every instrument and lyric to make sure that the listener feels how they want you to feel. Legacy is such an encouraging song, with Matty's expressive lyric: "Lift up your eyes discouraged one." This album features two guest vocalists: Sleeping with Sirens' Kellin Quinn and Asking Alexandria's Danny Worsnop. Miles Away features Kellin Quinn, and he backs up the emotion that Matty has expressed in his lyrics wonderfully. If you haven't already, you really start to respect Matty after hearing Miles Away. Jezebel is a highlight for Matty's vocals. In the chorus, his voice hits the mark too perfectly. It's a nice little surprise too for those who like his cleans over his screams, and for those who noticed the Easter egg to The Hollow. Losing Sight features Danny Worsnop, who hits the aggressive mark. His screams are top notch, although I wasn't the biggest on his cleans. But then again, it is a challenge to top Matty's vocals.

Going out on Generation: Hate and Vessels, I believe Memphis May Fire have hit whatever mark they were aiming for. And that mark was very high. Challenger has sold more than any other Rise Records album, if this review didn't tell you anything. For every song that is on this album, every emotion is met masterfully, showing the maturity in the band, and it is worth noting that every song is memorable. You can't pass this one up.

Recommended song:
Every single one of them.

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3.4 great

Rank: #0 for 2012