Review Summary: Sometimes all you gotta do is remember how you got here in the first place.
The Amity Affliction are pissed off. It’s no secret that their shots at experimentation on
Misery and
Everyone Loves You… didn’t sit well with critics and fans alike. When bands attempt to change up their sound, especially those in the metalcore scene, it’s hard to not be met with a strong disdain from the fans that helped build their audience in the first place. After their polarizing 2020 release, The Amity Affliction wanted to come back stronger and prove that they still got it by dropping their well-received EP
Somewhere Beyond the Blue. This got people’s hopes up to hear a newly revitalized album from them, and not only did Amity deliver, they released one of their best albums to date.
Opener “Show Me Your God” wastes no time exploding onto the scene with pounding blast beats and throat-shredding screams from the now seasoned veteran screamer Joel Birch, with bassist and singer Ahren Stringer making his voice heard in a soaring chorus that rivals the best melodies not heard since
Let the Ocean Take Me. This track is thankfully not an anomaly as Amity stays true to their roots and the sound that made fans fall in love with them all those years ago. Joel and Ahren screech their hearts out from start to finish, penning their signature lyrics of dealing with death and mental struggles, themes that are captured beautifully in singles “It’s Hell Down Here” and “I See Dead People.” From the soaring choruses in “Close To Me,” to the heavy assault of “When It Rains It Pours,” they take back their rightful places as some of the best voices in the genre today.
No album can truly excel without every member giving it their all, thus guitarist Dan Brown and drummer Joe Longobardi make sure they aren’t left as an afterthought behind their exceptional bandmates. Joe blasts his way through this album at a breakneck pace, only ever relenting for necessary softer sections that act as a break from the cathartic rage. Dan does his darndest to bring back the bouncy riffs and atmospheric leads from Amity’s past, doing exceptionally well on tracks “Death and the Setting Sun” and “The Big Sleep.” Joining the other members of the band are a handful of guest artists, including big names from Comeback Kid’s Andrew Neufeld to The Plot In You’s Landon Tewers. A special shout out goes to Landon as he delivers one of his strongest screaming performances in almost a decade, showcasing earth-swallowing lows and his piercing yells to further augment the aforementioned highlight “When It Rains It Pours”.
It can’t be understated how badly Amity needed to make an album like
Not Without My Ghosts. They seemed to be running more and more out of steam with each successive LP after 2014’s mega hit
Let the Ocean Take Me took them to new heights, losing fans they’ve worked tirelessly since 2003 to get. Going back to their more aggressive roots with a healthy sprinkling of their newer song textures was a genius move, one that should bring back many fans that gave up on them. These guys aren’t youngbloods anymore, but they’ve shown that they still got what it takes to make a kickass album that can stand tall and proud with their most beloved music.
