Review Summary: Fear Inside Our Bones introduces us to a new The Almost, who joins the revolution striving to bring "real" rock music back
“When my son was born, I was right in the middle of writing this record … I watched him take his first breath, and it was this overwhelming feeling that we're all born in this world that's sinful and dirty. We're all born with this fear of the unknown and this fear of saying yes and taking a step” –Aaron Gillespie.
It is hard to grasp the new life that is found on The Almost’s third LP, Fear Inside Our Bones. On the band’s first two albums, we saw Aaron Gillespie attempting to bring the fierceness of Underoath along for the pop-punk ride, with arguable success. This time around, however, Gillespie and his band (guitarists Dusty Redmon and Jay Vilardi, drummer Joe Musten, bassist Jon Thompson) worked with a new producer, completely recorded live in the studio in less than five days, and presented to us this new record that is (pun intended) breathtaking.
Rather than conventional Pop-Punk, there is a strong, back-to-the-basics Rock & Roll feel blended with southern flavor that cannot be ignored on Fear Inside Our Bones. Even from the first moments of album-opener “Ghost”, The Almost rocks and rolls like never before, and you can be assured that The Almost are moving in a new direction from their first two albums. "Ghost" leads us to the title track; the song starts a bit softer before it explodes into one of the heaviest songs you’ll find on the record, with Gillespie’s humble lyrics that confess: Don’t look to me for hope / I’m Lost. I’m just like you / Don’t look to me for freedom / There is a real way out.
One aspect of The Almost’s music that hasn’t changed is the upfront Christian message of hope. After Gillespie left Underoath to pursue both The Almost and to focus on Christian ministry, he has since had two Worship releases, and is now a Worship Pastor in Brooklyn, NY. His adrenaline bleeds with the Christian message on this album, in a way that isn’t cheesy or forced, but genuine and encouraging to anyone who listens. This is best seen in the track, “Love Is Coming Down”, which includes honest lyrics such as: I will always try and say the truth at any cost / At the core of my madness / There’s a hope I can’t hide / waiting for me to let it out / Even in all the sickness / The reality comes alive / Dust yourself off, Love is coming down. While lyrics like these may scare away some fans, it would be strange if any songwriter didn’t write about the very thing that drives their life and work, and so we are able to see Gillespie really show his true colors in these lyrics.
At the end of the album’s first half comes the autobiographical “The Florida Sun” which is sure to be an emotional gem at live shows, with some of Gillespie’s most confessional lyrics to date, and a very powerful bridge that could just as easily be found in one of his Worship tunes. Flipping over to the second half of the record comes some of Gillespie’s most aggressive vocals on the record in “Fight Song”, and the energy continues to rise for the rest of album, with a driving second half that is just as strong as the first. But the final track, a cover of Andrew Gold’s “Lonely Boy” is a really baffling choice to close the album, or have on the album at all; it plays more like a B-side or bonus track than an album closer, but it is nevertheless a decent cover.
Overall, The Almost have brewed a new concoction that is a mixture of Foo Fighters' grandiose anthems, Underoath's aggression, Switchfoot's hope and honesty, a touch of Every Time I Die's Southern twang, and even a little hint of ZZ Top's groove. This album is straight up Rock & Roll, with lots of Southern flair. Gillespie’s voice is fantastic as always, and his band is incredibly tight – especially considering that all the instruments were recorded live together. Fear Inside Our Bones introduces us to a new The Almost, who joins the revolution striving to bring "real" rock music back; no autotune, no fake tracks, no overly-polished production, this album is as breathtaking and real as it gets.
Top Tracks:
Ghost
Fear Inside Our Bones
The Florida Sun
Fight Song
