Purveyors of metalcore at its most vivid and alive, blessthefall have forged yet another stellar dedication ‘To Those Left Behind.’
Following 2013’s ‘Hollow Bodies’ was always going to be a gargantuan task, but they’ve only gone and done it. Defiantly heartfelt lyrical content conveyed by frontman Beau Bokan’s versatile chops emerges triumphant, combined with the artistry of a band maturing and perfecting itself with every passing moment. As always, the Phoenix outfit rise from the ashes of metalcore and rejuvenate an otherwise stale genre.
“Well I hope you’re good at starting over,” calls out the echoing opener ‘Decayer,’ gradually developing into a contagious metalcore anthem befitting their status as the mainstays of the realm. Racy and intense, lead single ‘Walk On Water’ projects Beau’s versatility, pitting livid growls against melodic cleans with consummate mastery.
“You won’t find me there cos I’m already gone, looking for what’s left to hang on, where did we go wrong?” agonises the flawlessly melodic ‘Dead Air,’ determined to don a brave face beyond its crushing heartbreak behind its eyes. In contrast, ‘Up In Flames’ projects venomous finger-pointing, backbiting, “Don’t drag me through your nightmare.”
The unadulterated vitriol poured into Beau’s screams throughout ‘Against the Waves’ threatens to drag you down under the relentless current, while ‘Looking Down from the Edge’ proves a contagious anthem to balancing on the brink. A disappointment, however, comes in the form of this album highlight’s successor, ‘Keep What We Love & Burn the Rest,’ whose over-generous fragmented production lets the side down.
Armageddon runs passionately through the veins of ‘Condition Comatose,’ spilling over with biological regret to a beautifully reflective melody. “You call this love? I call it blind ambition,” quips the stubborn ‘Oathbreaker,’ determined and delivered with precise conviction, while ‘To Those Left Behind’ parades itself as a vicious call to arms well worth its weight in gold.
Frontrunners of their trade, blessthefall consistently pit their talents against the trends and fashions, creating an incomparable showcase of integrity and longevity. These guys see no end in sight, and accordingly, make sure nobody is left behind.
4.5/5
’To Those Left Behind’ by Blessthefall is out now on Fearless Records.
Blessthefall links: Website|Facebook|Twitter
Words by Ali Cooper (@AliZombie_)
