I have been a fan of this band since I first reviewed
their debut album from Pluto Records. As much as I
enjoyed them though never once did I entertain the
idea that they would someday be one of the most wildly
popular bands in modern metal. Yet here I am reviewing
An Ocean Between Us, the band’s third proper
full length for the legendary Metal Blade Records.
It honestly doesn’t seem like two years have
passed since Shadows Are Security but sure enough
it has and again Tim Lambesis & co. have learned
immensely from the album prior, honing their skills
even more here, due in no small part to Adam D.’s
(Killswitch Engage) production contributions. While
there are no huge surprises the band sound solid throughout
the entire album, making only very minor missteps
here and there.
An Ocean Between Us sounds a lot like an updated
version of Shadows Are Security when it comes right
down to it. It’s in the same general vein of
both of the other Metal Blade albums but this time
the Gothenburg influence seeps through wholly and
the production is sharper, making the album crisp
and bright without losing the maniacally aggressive
edge. Some of the highlights include the pummeling
work of drummer Jordan Mancino on the back to back
“Forsaken” and “Comfort Betrays,”
the fist pumping metal of “Bury Us All”
(a song tailor made for opening a riot…errr….set…
if you ask me), and the anthemic title track, “An
Ocean Between Us.” The Euro style epicness of
“This Is Who We Are” is also of note as
it is the cleanest singing the band has ever done.
In actuality the production is what really draws you
in here, most of these songs aren’t any better
than the ones that made up Frail Words Collapse or
Shadows Are Security but since they are at least as
good the production sound gives them the illusion
of being superior. I can live with that.
I really wish people would stop calling this band
metalcore. Perhaps with this album AILD will finally
shake the tag because any hint of metalcore is entirely
absent on An Ocean Between Us. This is easily the
band’s best work to date but I can’t help
but believe they still have a better one in them.
This is the sound of a band getting ready to hit their
stride so prepare for greatness.
Key Tracks: “This Is Who We Are,” “Forsaken”
Reviewed by Mark Fisher |
