Review Rundown: Authority Zero, Bleeding Through, Lacuna Coil, Scream Out Loud, Hit the Lights
The 53th edition of the review Rundown houses some
reviews of new releases from Authority Zero, Bleeding Through, Lacuna Coil, Scream
Out Loud, and Hit the Lights.
Authority Zero - Less
Rhythm, More Booze (Suburban Noize): Authority Zero’s new acoustic
offering, Less Rhythm, More Booze
rings true to form on both accounts – this new slate of acoustic cuts do tone
done the rhythm due to the power outage, and also ramp up the boozy factor just
a bit. Opening with a new song in “Liberateducation,” which features
an enjoyable reggae/ska lean, Less
Rhythm, More Booze is effectively
off and running, and even though it is acoustic through and through, there
really isn’t much downtime here. “Break the Mold” and “Big Bad World” are
highlights, though it’s the closing “One More Season,” a mash-up of two tracks
from the bands 2002 release A Passage in
Time, “Over Seasons” and the excellent “One More Minute” that steals the
show. Frontman Jason DeVore sounds just as good as good as he ever has, is less
energetic for obvious reasons, though it’s clear he is comfortable in an
acoustic setting. Less Rhythm, More Booze
will please all existing fans of Authority Zero and should be able to attract
some new followers as well. (www.authorityzero.com)
Grade: B
Go Download: “No Regrets”
Bleeding Through – The
Great Fire (Rise): The Great Fire
is a force, a menacing, destructive beast of a record not even fit to be
reckoned with because you do not want to fuck with it. This record is just
that, a great fire, a fire breathing, yet balanced collection of tracks that
doesn’t sacrifice riffs for hooks or breakdowns for melody, with just the right
amount of electronic sweeps smattered about from metals best electronic
merchant Marta Peterson. Bleeding through are one of very few bands that
utilize their electronic component exceedingly well, using those flourishes to
create moods and sonic landscapes, from doom and gloom (“The Walking Dead”) to
horror and suspense (“Starving Vultures”). But that’s not to discount the bands
ability to absolutely annihilate eardrums at a frightening pace (“The Devil and
Self Doubt,” “Final Hours,” “Step Back in Line”), firing off wall of death
caliber full gallops brimming with blistering, razor sharp riffs, machine like
blast beats and through shreds galore from Brandon Schieppati, who by the way,
might sound better than he ever has before. The
Great Fire ranks among Bleeding Through’s best work (yes, even counting the
breathtaking This is Love, This is
Murderous), and is further proof that just because this band was the
product of the early days of metalcore (gasp!), doesn’t mean they can’t make
the jump to modern metal (looking squarely in the direction of Remembering
Never). (www.bleedingthrough.com)
Grade: A-
Go Download: “Final Hours”
Lacuna Coil – Dark
Adrenaline (Century Media): Since exploding onto the scene with their
powerful, groundbreaking sound way back when in 1999, Lacuna Coil has seen
their goth metal scene reach new heights as this trendy sound has become more
and more in vogue, so in essence Lacuna Coil was goth metal before goth metal
was cool, and judging by their latest, Dark
Adrenaline, it’s clear this band isn’t about to take a backseat to anyone,
and seem primed to regain the throne. As the opening “Trip the Darkness”
cascades through your speakers, you’ll hear a band sounding invigorated and as
focused as ever, as evidenced by the unbelievable vocal interplay between
singer Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro, which, when forces combined, craft
some of the most soaring and bombastic hooks you’ll ever hear. Dark Adrenaline plays host to more than
a number of brooding, emotional cuts, potential sleeper hits dressed all in
black (“The Army Inside,” “I Can’t Wait for Tomorrow”), and that’s not even to
mention the touched up version of R.E.M.’s seminal hits “Losing My Religion”
featured in the latter stages of the record. Yes, there’s a reason many bands were
quick to cop Lacuna Coil’s sound – Dark
Adrenaline is why, because when this band is on, they’re very, very good,
and there are not many who can hang with them stylistically. (www.lacunacoil.it)
Grade: A-
Go Download: “Trip the Darkness”
Scream Out Loud – Live
It Up (Indianola): On the surface, Live
It Up, the debut from fresh-faced newcomers Scream Out Loud, might sound
like a lot of other records you’ve probably heard, but if you’re to look
closely, you’ll quickly find out there’s loads of talent here, enough to think
this band could make some noise in the future, something you’ll quickly find
out as you lend your ears to the dynamic opening salvo “The Fear of Letting
Go,” which kicks Live It Up into high
gear early, effectively setting the table for the rest of the album with an
enjoyable collaboration of swirling, driving guitars, undeniably infectious
hooks, ambidextrous vocals that seamlessly transition from light to dark in a
moments notice. “Danger” is a good example of the bands ability to bridge
soaring melodies and punishing breakdowns that see the bottom drop out, which
is swell and all, but it’s the seemingly out of place, Emery-esque “It’s Funny
They Can’t See Us From Here” that steals the show as an uber-melodic single in
waiting that proves this band is more than a mere carbon copy of a dozen other
CD’s on your iTunes playlist. Live It Up isn’t
perfect, but no one is asking it to be. (www.facebook.com/screamoutloudfl)
Grade: B
Go Download: “The Fear of Letting Go”
Hit the Lights – Invicta
(Razor and Tie): It’s nice to see that Hit the Lights didn’t waste the four
years of downtime between 2008’s Skip
School, Start Fights and Invicta. They
clearly spent the time regrouping and gaining a deadly focus, because Invicta is just that - the bands most
focused and inspired release to date. Sure, all of the bands hallmarks are
present – shout-a-long moments of gang vocal euphoria, crunchy guitars and
arena ready hooks, but Invicta sees
the band trending closer to pop-rock, or emo-lite if you will. The album ebbs
and flows through electronica-splashed alternative (“So Guilty”), curious, yet monumental
balladeering (“Oh My God”) and explorative pop (“Faster Now”), though the
record isn’t without its familial sounds, which you should be able to easily
pick out of a lineup (“Take Control”). Everything seems bigger across the board
on Invicta, an album that finds the
bands fire and passion renewed like never before, which probably saved their
lives since the band were teetering on the brink of pop-punk anonymity for a
while there. There’s a good chance that in a few years time we’ll look back and
be able to pinpoint exactly when Hit the Lights broke through into the
mainstream – that time seemingly is now, and that breakthrough could very well be
Invicta. Perhaps, just perhaps, there
is life after pop-punk, and Hit the Lights is proving that in spades. (www.facebook.com/hitthelightsmusic)
Grade: B+
Go Download: “Get To You”
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