Review Summary: Average at best, but the first few tracks are debatably worth your time.
When they first formed, I’ll bet TDWP had no idea what was going to happen. Though they didn’t quite invent a genre, they inspired a wave of bands like We Came As Romans and Blessthefall to bring mixes of post-hardcore, metalcore, and some synth to the table. And, TDWP was both loved and hated for this decision. Some adored their debut effort Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord and believed they were new innovators on the Rise Records scene, some were sickened by what Prada was trying to do. Coincidentally, the same that TDWP’s second album Plagues came out, so did Blessthefall’s debut
His Last Walk. Well, don’t expect much.
Blessthefall don’t necessarily do anything horribly wrong on
His Last Walk, but they also don’t get anything totally right. Comparing them to both TDWP and WCAR, they sound much more like the former, and whether that’s a positive or negative all depends on the listener. Former vocalist Craig Mabbit handles all the cleans, sounding like a mix of the vocalist from AKFJ and TDWP’s Jeremy Depoyster, while bassist Jared Warth handles Hranica-esque cleans. Both are strong at times, but are ultimately mediocre in the long run. As for the guitarists, expect the same metal-tinged leads mixed with palm-muted chugs, and plenty (I mean plenty!) of breakdowns to boot. In the rhythm section, both the bass and the drums are lacking, and do exactly what is expected.
Still, the group does manage to shine at times. Though generic as all get out, “A Message To The Unknown” opens the album well with a roaring maelstrom of metalcore energy, and manages to remain one of the most interesting tracks of the album. The borderline-intricate dueling between the guitarists throughout “Guys Like You Make Us Look Bad” is also a treat, and saves the song from becoming straight filler, while “Could Tell A Love” has a thrilling climax between Craig and Jared, and some of the most intense screams all record. “Times Like These” also displays more intricate guitar leads that border on solos and are surprisingly engaging. The WCAR-esque choir and “epic feel” to closer “His Last Walk” makes the track sound better than it actually is, while the acoustic version of “Rise Up” is beautiful and much stronger than its heavier counterpart.
Like ABR, there’s been much debate since their inception as to if Blessthefall is a Christian band, and the title of the album doesn’t calm that debate. There are explicit references to God, and the band seems to be crying out to Him on most of the tracks, though they occasionally wisely employ ambiguity. A song like “Rise Up” could offend a nonbeliever, but “Guys Like You Make Guys Like Us Look Bad” may be just ambiguous enough to skirt the line of being offensive.
Craig is capable all record, but never seems to break his expected mold. The same goes for Jared, especially in the vocal department. Honestly, the guitarists seem to be the only ones with true potential, leaving the listener to wonder what they would sound like if they tried a little harder. In addition, it seems as if
His Last Walk would’ve been more fitting as an EP, because the majority of the latter part of the album is filler.
It was a decent attempt, but average at best. However, the first few tracks are debatably worth a purchase, so maybe consider checking those out. Otherwise, skip out on HLW.
