Close Your Eyes - We Will Overcome
Rating
RIYL
Four Year StrongA Day To Remember
Asking Alexandria
Release Date
02/16/2010
Label
Victory RecordsTracklist
1. A Proclamation2. Friends Are Friends Forever
3. xChet Steadmanx
4. Digging Graves
5. The Body
6. Song For the Broken
7. 17:20
8. Wake Up!
9. Bitter Path
10. Something Needs to Change
11. Arms Raised
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Close Your Eyes is a two-headed deal. Musically, they’re some kind of hideous concoction of the brainless breakdowns of A Day to Remember and the smarter hardcore of Comeback Kid that sometimes works, but most of the time just chokes on its own trendiness. The band is also about to blow up for the same reason – people get weak in the knees for this brand of flavor-of-the-week “hardcore.” But lyrically they have their heads screwed on tighter than any group broadcasting to this scene, spewing positive messages about faith, hope and love without waxing preachy. That makes for a conflicting listen.
That’s exactly what We Will Overcome is: a conflicting listen. Sometimes, it’s entertaining and decent, like when it turns to fiercely melodic pop-punk on “Digging Graves,” “Wake Up” and “17:20.” These are tracks you could throw in with a playlist that also has selections from The Wonder Years or The Swellers. But more often than not, the music is a cringe or two away from being as censurable as A Day to Remember. In “Friends Are Friends Forever,” mock-metal riffage leads to a breakdown that’s proud of its chug-chugs and cheesy growls that beg, “Don’t leave me here alone / Cause I need you! / Don’t leave me here alone, forgotten.” “The Body” and “Song For The Broken” ditch hardcore for an uninspired Before Their Eyes sonic, while “A Proclamation” and “xChet Steadmanx” are all about nauseatingly boring vocals that never really go anywhere.
Closing numbers “Something Needs To Change” and “Arms Raised” are astronomical improvements over the preceding missteps. The band finally finds the balance between musical dignity and heaviness here, and the result is something closer to Four Year Strong than either A Day to Remember or Comeback Kid. That’s not a bad thing, though. If their writing strengths lie in Four Year Strong’s niche, they need to pursue them so they can avoid We Will Overcome’s downsides (and there are plenty) at all costs. Until then, Close Your Eyes is just another wave in a sea of unexciting bro-core bands, elating lyrics or not.
--Matthew Tsai
Comments
Minnesota
Psshhh, whatever, I dig the hell out of this album. It's not technical, it's not ground-breaking, it's not even overtly interesting... however, and this is a HUGE however, this album is f'ing fun as hell to listen to. Call it a guilty pleasure, call it what you will, but I enjoy the heck out of this album.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
California
way better than this reviewer suggests.
Illinois
ya i'm gonna have to say i do enjoy this. it might be a bit of a disappointment to some, but for fans of bands like rise against and comeback kid, it's pretty good. i like that they shred and not every song has a heavy breakdown (some not even noticeable if they are there). the band is trying something different, and it works out pretty well for them.
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Wilmington DE
I guess i could do without a few of the breakdowns but this album is definitely catchy and an entertaining listen.
Listening to:
Tides of Man
Oceansize
The Contortionist
We are the City
Periphery
San Jose, CA
I really don't see the hype behind this. It's generic and embarrassing imo
last.fm/user/thetsaiguy
Lehigh Valley, PA
Spokane, Washington
sometimes music isn't meant to be taken so serious. great disc, great listen.
current listenings:
Of Virtue - "Heartsounds"
Capsule - "No Ghost"
Century - "Red Giant"
James Vincent McMorrow - "Early In The Morning"
Blind Pilot - "We Are The Tide"
Illinois
most hardcore/metalcore/anycore from this current wave of bands isn't meant to be taken THAT seriously. otherwise they wouldnt be naming songs like they do i wouldnt think.
last.fm/user/tragedyl0ve
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Wisconsin
1.5 is way too low for this.
Minnesota
Find me EVERYWHERE:
San Diego, CA
Yeah, I actually enjoyed this quite a bit
Too old to bother, too young to give a shit.
Colorado
I found it to be an enjoyable listen. I can see myself going back to some of the songs.
San Jose, CA
I guess so.
last.fm/user/thetsaiguy
Kansas
took me a while, but i'm really into this now
http://rateyourmusic.com/~benny06