Review Summary: “A meteor just entered the sky…”
11 years after a complete band collapse and a feud with their label, Hopesfall return as if nothing ever changed.
I’ve always been afraid of comeback albums. From At the Drive-In to Refused, the underwhelming “returns to form” have seemingly fallen flat in recent years. It seems the general metalcore/hardcore fanbase (myself included) have given up their hopes on any new music sounding fresh or exciting. There is no longer any “scene” for the genre, and it has created an atmosphere of disappointment and continual dwelling in the past for so many.
Hopesfall couldn’t care less.
String together a couple of 40-year-olds, grab some craft beers, throw them all in a basement with their instruments and usually they’ll come out drunk and wishing they could relive their college years. But this time something changed. “Arbiter” is not an attempt at a comeback, nor is it an effort to relive the past. Arbiter is an independent piece of art, crafted without pressure of time, money, or commitments. This is 5 friends deciding to write a few songs and just say “you know what, why the hell not?”
From its first listen, the album picks up right where “Magnetic North” left off. Crushing riffs are accompanied by spacey echoing melodies. Jay’s vocals seem just slightly restrained and choppy as compared to previous works, but choruses still soar with HUM-esque prowess to create an atmosphere perfect for only the loneliest of astronauts.
Tracks like “Faint Object Camera” and “Bradley Fighting Vehicle” start out with Satellite years-sounding heavy riffs backed by screamed vocals reminiscent of the early 2000’s and then cascade into softer verses and more instrument-focused closing sections. Some track like “C.S. Lucky-One” and “I Catapult” impress in certain sections but lack inspiration in others, while singles “H.A. Wallace Space Academy” and “Tunguska” shine from start to finish. “Aphelion” provides a (mostly) instrumental filler solely intended to regain the central “spacey” theme of the record.
One of the biggest changes from Magnetic North is that Arbiter seems a bit less focused on darker themes and instead consists of a more upbeat and fast paced tone reminiscent of A-Types. This can especially be seen in the opening minute of “Drowning Potential”, (which is followed by a surprisingly Deftones-esque chorus). The following track, “To Bloom” sounds somewhat of a pop-rock ballad that mixes elements from their previous two albums at an almost obvious level, but never sounds too “old” or rehashed. Finally, the album closes with the title track, shifting from an upbeat start and into its dramatic closing.
Bonus track “Revolt, Revolve” is a great addition that adequately represents the feel of the record as a whole and adds a bit of needed length to the album.
Overall, Hopesfall’s “Arbiter” accomplishes what none could have predicted in the 11 years since their breakup:
The overwhelming return to form…
*Album of the Year.*
4.8/5
