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4/5 | Posted November-12-2010
I Am Empire is another one of those bands that have seemingly come out of nowhere and have blown people's minds, mine included. This, the band's debut release before their Tooth and Nail debut next year, is a wonderful example of what kind of style the band is undergoing. Judging on this release, they seem to blend pop punk with hard rock and it's a great combination. The 10 songs (WHY ONLY 10?) on this album are very well done. Well written, well produced, and they sound really good. I would recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of rock music in general. This is a great sampler for people to get a feel for this band until their T&N debut in January 2011. (BTW: From the 2 songs I have heard from said debut, they have gone more hard rock and it's not bad.)
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4/5 | Posted October-24-2010
The sophomore effort from The Juliana Theory builds up the foundations that were laid down by their previous debut album. Their sound is much more tightly woven. This is a great album to listen too and it also makes for really good background music. The finale, for example, fits this description as you have a really beautifully chaotic 9 1/2 minute song followed by a more calming 5 minute instrumental song. If you can find a copy of this album anywhere, pick it up or listen to the whole album on their purevolume page if you can't find it.
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4.5/5 | Posted October-17-2010
The debut album from Anberlin at first feels very generic but the deeper you listen, you'll begin to hear the elegantly crafted lyrics aside from the wonderful vocal work and well tuned guitar riffs. The main theme of this album can best be described by the lead singer himself. In an interview given when Cities was released he said that this album was mostly about man vs. the world, Never Take Friendship Personal was about man vs. man and Cities is about man vs. self. Hearing the band's first album now that they've gone on to have great success really makes me appreciate them more then I did before. If you are interested in hearing just how Anberlin first got started, track down this album. You will not be disappointed.
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5/5 | Posted September-18-2010
Disciple is a band that has seemingly gotten better and better with every album. Their latest offering, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, I consider to be their best album yet. The album starts off a little too slow for hardcore Disciple fans with the single Dear X but after that song, the rest of the album grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. It's heavy, in-your-face rock and roll from then on. Disciple has seemed to have found their sound with this release. It's going to be very hard to top this excellence on the next album.
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5/5 | Posted September-15-2010
Any fans that were lost when Emery released their I'm Only A Man album will be won back with this album. Emery goes back to their roots and delivers an album that matches the intensity of their debut The Weak's End and the mainstream sound of The Question. It's as if they put those albums sounds in a blender and this was the result. In Shallow Seas We Sail is a wonderful album filled with great upbeat songs and lyrics that really get us to stop and think. This is a really good album that will win back fans and garner new fans alike.
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4.5/5 | Posted September-15-2010
Anberlin returns for their 5th album and it is probably their most ambitious one to date. Luckily Anberlin has a reputation for making even the most ambitious music very enjoyable to listen to and this album is no exception. There are two ways you can listen to this album: First, you could listen to it as an average person who has heard some Anberlin songs but hasn't become a true fan. They might listen to this album and not like it at first but, after some repeat listens, it might grow on them. The second way you can listen to this album is if you already are a fan of the band. You'll notice a change in style that feels more ambient then their previous albums. (Big fans of the bands earlier work will especially enjoy the track To The Wolves.) Yes, Anberlin has evolved and this album really feels like an experiment. There are a lot of unfamiliar sounds that have not been present on any of the band's previous albums, but that's ok. I really enjoyed this album because of how different it sounded from their previous works. If you didn't like New Surrender, you will definitely not like this album. Vice versa for people who enjoyed New Surrender. I really liked this album and I think it's a strong contender for album of the year.
(On a side note: Don't worry, Anberlin's trademark idea of having the last track of any of their albums be as epic as possible is still in full force here. Depraved is my second favorite last track. First being *Fin from Cities.)
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4/5 | Posted September-08-2010
In the 3 years since Decyfer Down's debut, The original lead vocalist left. Other then that, nothing else has really changed much music-wise. This isn't really a bad thing though. Actually their sophomore album is quite good even though there really hasn't been that much development in between albums. Crash is another hard rock offering that is really great to listen to even though some of the lyrics and music feel a bit generic at times. again, this album has only 10 songs on it. What is going on here? I don't want 10 songs on an album, I would like to expect 11-13. To me, that is a full-length album. The last negative thing I want to say is that while the songs are quite good to listen to, after the album finishes they really are not all that memorable. Maybe it's because I have heard better albums from similar artists. Other then that, Crash is a really good album that should be listened to by the people.
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4.5/5 | Posted September-04-2010
Solid State Records' equivalent to As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, returns for their 3rd album. If you enjoyed their previous album Messengers immensely, you'll enjoy this album as well. The band seems to have gone to a more personal level here as one of the songs is about a dear friend of theirs who died in a plane crash. The breakdowns are still as awesome as ever and their unique ability to change time signatures are what make this album so good. In the middle of a song they'll just suddenly be playing in a completely different time signature with no build-up whatsoever. These parts are crafted very well. If you really enjoyed Messengers then Constellations is a definite must-buy.
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4.5/5 | Posted September-02-2010
Even after a three year void, Demon Hunter remains one of the best christian metal bands in the business with the release of their new album. The World Is A Thorn feels a little bit like an experimental record in that some songs make use of some synth styles. This album also sounds a lot heavier then the previous albums but that is a good thing as the lyrics really go with the sound. While not as good as Storm the Gates of Hell was, Demon Hunter's new album is still a great listen to fans of the band and metal heads alike.
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5/5 | Posted August-20-2010
At a glance, The Letter Black can probably be compared to bands like Fireflight and Flyleaf. While this does prove true, The Letter Black ends up bringing something fresh and new to the table. music you can enjoy and think about at the same time. Their debut album proves this point perfectly. The music on here is very enjoyable to listen to and the lyrics can be applied to our own everyday lives with such tracks as "More To This" and "There Will Come A Day." This hard rock album really ends up being a good contender for album of the year thanks in part to each of the 13 tracks being very memorable. This album also achieves a perfect length with 13 tracks taking up about 45 minutes of your time. With catchy, hardcore riffs, memorable songs, and inspirational lyrics, The Letter Black's debut album is one that no fans of either Fireflight, Flyleaf, or rock music in general, can pass up.
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