Bury Tomorrow - Portraits
Rating
RIYL
Killswitch EngageWar Of Ages
Sylosis
Release Date
03/16/2010
Label
Artery RecordingsTracklist
1. Confessions2. Evolution of Self
3. You & I
4. Her Bones In The Sand
5. Repair The Lining
6. Casting Shapes
7. Factory Of Embers
8. Relief
9. Anything With Teeth
10. These Woods Aren't Safe For Us
11. Portraits
Users Rating |
Your RatingCreate an account or log in to rate this album |
Recent Ratings |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It seems as if lately what was once considered extreme or alternative music has begun to adopt a very disconcerting assembly line philosophy, with many bands contenting themselves with adhering to preset image or sonic templates, unconcerned with pushing any boundaries. Why do you think punk is a cold, dead corpse and hip-hop is self-destructing? It’s these very same reasons, and once mighty progressive sub-genres of alternative music are falling into the same creative malaise. Emo, screamo, post-hardcore… these terms used to connote excellent, forward-thinking music, exemplified by bands like Fugazi, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Rites of Spring. Now we have pale imitations of what once was, bands capitalizing on existing markets to plug into, names that refer to a sound that has almost nothing in common with its origin.
It wasn’t too long ago that we had records like Poison the Well’s The Opposite of December, combining multiple influences to create the exciting late 1990s metalcore explosion. This was a time when new, boundary-pushing bands were popping up everywhere, releasing excellent material. But before long the forebears of the genre were forgotten, and most of the bands responsible for that metalcore movement were eclipsed by their own legacies or became caricatures of their former selves. Now, in 2010, we see metalcore falling into the same trap that so many other genres have.
This explains the disconnect I feel with Bury Tomorrow’s Portraits. Once again we have Artery Recordings playing it safe by putting out a stock genre release. Everything is tight, well-produced, and crisp, and there are definitely parts of the disc that I find myself getting into, but what keeps me from really engaging with this album is just a general lack of personality. What we’ve got here is a solid, but formulaic, metalcore release. Nothing about this offering is going to set the world on fire, but at the same time it shouldn’t have anyone running for the nearest trash can either. We can very comfortably slide these guys into the ever-growing collection of melodic metalcore bands, doing quite a bit of singing, particularly during the choruses, to augment the screaming.
Bury Tomorrow is a good band, and I think inherent in that statement is their real problem. So much of this disc feels like a commodity, like it was managed or engineered for some purpose. I’m not getting the passion that is required to sustain a great metalcore record. They need to take on a signature sound and rely less on formula. They need to inject more of themselves into these songs, to have their personality become visible through the corporate sheen. They’ve got the talent, but they are consistently victimized by their own obvious songwriting. I could usually predict when the breakdowns or clean choruses were going to come in and that definitely took away from the listening experience. Everything on Portraits is well-executed, and other than the saccharine “Relief” there are no glaring missteps, but I guess I found myself wishing for a little something more than just capable. Maybe next time.
--Jake Oliver
Comments
Minnesota
I really, really enjoy the hell out of this album. That being said, after reading your analysis of the disc, I can totally see your point of view and, I hate to say it, I'm starting to rethink how awesome I originally thought the album was in light of your critique. I completely agree with you now on the formulaic nature of the album. Although, despite the very formulaic nature of the album, it's pretty frickin' rad!
Claremont, CA
the last two songs on this album are SO great...not to mention the clean vocals remind me of dallas green, which is like an angelic symphony in my ears. this fact alone makes this band stand far above the rest, that dude's got PIPES! so yea, love these guys!
San Luis Obispo, CA
i still enjoy this album quite a bit.. not sure if it's enough to warrant listening to it all the time, but definitely enough to throw it on every so often and get an aggressive music fix.
Ask me anything http://formspring.me/aarontroy
Citadel Artist Management
Decoymusic.com (CEO/Editor)
Blue Reef Design Studios (Web Design)
Decatur, Alabama
Attempting to find the 3 bonus tracks from the re-release of this album is nearly impossible on teh interwebs. Album is great.
XBOX Live Gamertag - Symmetry7
http://www.last.fm/user/SpartanE7
Last.FM - Homepage
http://rateyourmusic.com/list/SpartanE7/the_upcoming_and_ultimate_albums_of_2010__in_progress_
List of 2010 Albums!