Review Summary: A melodic and fun addition to modern Metalcore. Very promising for a first LP with room to improve.
Introducing So It Begins, a Texas-based Metalcore band that takes influence from August Burns Red, Parkway Drive and As I Lay Dying. Though they did release three EP’s prior to this, they did not gain much traction until their 2018 single Iremia which is included in this album. Since their first EP, 2013’s Abduction, the band has grown out of their original shell of just chugs and breakdowns. Each EP came with new intricacies, stronger songwriting, and better song progression. This album just takes everything they have learned over the previous six years to help elevate it ahead of the average Metalcore release.
The production value is exceptionally good which helps to elevate the instrumental and vocal performances. The clean lead guitar, groovy rhythm guitar and machinegun patterns delivered from the drummer sound so much better than their previous releases. For example, take “Isolation” at 2:17. It perfectly showcases the band’s talent to be able to blend their instruments. There are still plenty of chugging riffs and breakdowns, but I find they are used somewhat tastefully in balance with the lead guitar melodies and solos.
The screams, for the most part, lie in the mid-range but the vocalist, Staton Roberts, is not afraid to let loose his impressive high screams like at 3:35 on “Made to Bleed”. His clean vocal style can really shine as well, like on “Division” and “Iremia”. Sometimes the clean vocals can interfere with the guitar melodies on some tracks. More so I wish they would let the instruments speak for themselves in certain sections. Nonetheless, there is plenty of breathing room on the majority of the album.
The lyrics are not entirely groundbreaking, as it's fairly common Metalcore lyrics. But the band typically sends positive messages or writes about fighting inner demons and facing personal struggles. Nothing new but I didn’t find their lyrical content to be overly edgy like you will find within the plethora of core bands.
Overall, I found this album very enjoyable to listen to and played several of the songs on repeat. A few of the songs are repetitive or just seem like filler. Could have been shortened to 10 tracks instead of 12. Though some of the lesser interesting songs still had redeemable qualities with certain sections, so I personally hope the band releases an instrumental version of the album. For future songs I do hope they include more of the acoustic element that was in the first track along with the vocalist exploring more variety with his screams.
Recommended Tracks:
1. My Will, Their Hands
2. Isolation
5. Made to Bleed
7. Sub-Zero
9. Unspoken
11. Iremia
