For Today - Breaker
Rating
RIYL
August Burns RedOnward to Olympas
War of Ages
Release Date
08/31/2010
Label
Facedown RecordsTracklist
1. The Breaker's Origin2. Devastator
3. The Advocate
4. The Breaker's Valley
5. Seraphim
6. Arm the Masses
7. White Flag
8. The Breaker's Encounter
9. Phoenix
10. Psalm of the Son
11. King
12. The Breaker's Commission
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Frankly, I’m pretty surprised that For Today has made it to a third album. Considering that their debut from two years ago, Ekklesia, was about as unlistenable as a metalcore album can get and their follow up, Portraits, was only slightly better (which means it was still predominantly terrible), all signs pointed to the band fading away. They didn't, though, and with Breaker we see For Today changing their sound slightly, but unfortunately not really becoming that much more engaging. For every small improvement they made, they had an equally notable negative change.
To start, this album has some horrible flow. Of the 12 tracks on the album you have 3 poetry readings that are from one written work, but broken up throughout the album. I’m not sure what the point of this was, but it leaves you with only 9 actual songs, one of them being the culmination of the poetry readings into a very blasé album closer that sounds like a collaboration between Amy Grant and Sleeping Giant in full-on “I love God and so should you and I’m going to overtly tell you why” mode. Maybe the band was running short on material, which I could see as plausible since most of what is here is formulaic and basic, leading me into discussing the biggest issue this album has--a lack of anything interesting.
On their sophomore album, For Today tried to expand upon their very basic metalcore sound to include some quasi-technical moments, which was admirable and helped them sound less generic. However, on Breaker For Today have tossed aside any aspirations to be technical and instead focused extra hard on trying to be the next August Burns Red or War of Ages. They’ve taken their original, bland metalcore sound and dumped in numerous bass drops, also-ran breakdowns, and a thickening of their guitar tones. This makes them sound “heavier” and will have anyone who is not very judicious about what type of metalcore they listen to stomping along, but it also dumbs down the majority of their songs.
There are a couple of instances where the band tries to do something a bit interesting, but they aren’t enough to salvage the album. “White Flag” makes use of some melodic group vocals in the chorus, which actually provides a nice counterbalance to the breakdown loaded verses. Because of this approach, this track is actually one of the stronger songs on the album and gives a glimpse of what the band can do when they’re not stuck in a rut. “Arm the Masses” has the band collectively picking up the pace towards the end with the vocals being spat out nearly rap-ish like in an angry flutter. This may not be the best idea as it gives the band a somewhat rap-nu-metal sound, but it shows the band stretching, which they desperately need to do. Finally, you have “Phoenix” which starts off with a very straight ahead, solid hardcore passage before the band falls back into metalcore breakdowns. However, the hardcore motif does come back up here and there throughout the remainder of the song.
I want to believe that For Today have a solid album in them somewhere since they’ve shown some glimmers of hope on Breaker, but I’m also wary that they’re too easily drawn to sticking with what they know, which is generic metalcore. They are making incremental steps towards breaking out of their self-imposed boundaries, but if they are this slight every album, it may be another 4 or 5 albums before the band really breaks out. I don’t think that even the most forgiving metalcore addict has that much patience, though.
--Rick Gebhardt
Comments
Minneapolis, MN
When it comes to For Today, I always feel torn. My introduction to them was at a live show and they absolutely rocked the place. However, I really get annoyed with their overtly religious lyrics.
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Illinois
damn i loved the three new songs for this on their myspace. i might still check this out.
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Canada
i dont know how anyone can get past their lyrics. i have no problem with people who are religious, but holy shit. everytime i hear "oh lord" or "god" 3-4 times in every song they have ever done, i find the music unlistenable. vocalist has talent, maybe if they actually wrote lyrics that were interesting and not about religion....i would be able to listen to them.
Alabama
Kids eat this crap up and I don't understand it. They are terrible song writers and are so gimmicky. I am a christian but their live show is so over the top with the religion card. They definitely aren't going anywhere any time soon though. Their contract is up with Facedown and I've heard rumors of Sumerian...
Minnesota
I really should have mentioned something about the lyrics in the review, but I've railed on them enough in the past for it and it's just kind of a known quantity now. It definitely detracts from the experience for me because it seems so preachy, but I've also tried to be a little more lenient on lyrics in general since there are a lot of genres outside of Christian metal that have bad lyrics (most power metal, pop-punk, super-serious black metal, etc.) as well, even though I find the Christian lyrics the hardest to stomach.
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Lehigh Valley, PA
i think the "preachy" lyrics are the only thing i like about this band.
Raleigh, NC
I think part of their live show is just how much the crowd loves it. I've seen them before and enjoyed it, but the music is awful.
Infinitely Inwards
Fucking Religion.....how does that work?
Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
Fallujah - The Harvest Wombs
The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
ERRA - Impulse
Aborted - Global Flatline
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape
Spokane, Washington
adjective or verb?
current listenings:
Of Virtue - "Heartsounds"
Capsule - "No Ghost"
Century - "Red Giant"
James Vincent McMorrow - "Early In The Morning"
Blind Pilot - "We Are The Tide"
Infinitely Inwards
apparently I'm the only one on here that likes making fun of ICP......and its an adjective.
Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
Fallujah - The Harvest Wombs
The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
ERRA - Impulse
Aborted - Global Flatline
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape
Illinois
haha i got it.
ya listening to the three sampler songs again makes me think i'm not going to like it
last.fm/user/tragedyl0ve
twitter.com/1000cleverlines
1000cleverlines.tumblr.com
Canada
if you get past the lyrics, its actually pretty decent. nothing new or special, but i find myself listening to this more than i want to.
FL
they definitely got their moneys worth with their 808.
www.falseidolphoto.com
www.facebook.com/fromtheembrace
Raleigh, NC
I dig the first couple of songs and the one with Drew from Stray From the Path, but other than that, this is just cheesy and super boring.
Lehigh Valley, PA
OK... so I gave this a listen... not gonna lie, I actually dig this album. Like i said before, I love christian music and the lyrics are good to me, the music on this album is not as bad as their older stuff. Still generic but tolerable
Minnesota
Bill, I just don't get you sometimes.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Lehigh Valley, PA
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I'm admitting the music is not great but it isnt that bad. The lyrics really keep my attention
Minnesota
Yeah, I know. I just never figured you to buy into the uber-preachy & contrived lyrics.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Spokane, Washington
the lyrics are preachy, but tolerable in my opinion, and the music has it's really high points, and some lows. overall, i'd say it's a relatively decent album.
current listenings:
Of Virtue - "Heartsounds"
Capsule - "No Ghost"
Century - "Red Giant"
James Vincent McMorrow - "Early In The Morning"
Blind Pilot - "We Are The Tide"
Let me get some things out of the way. The lyrics aren't "religious","preachy", cheezy" blah blah blah. I honestly think all of you here are in the scene for all the wrong reasons, if that means anything to you kids these days. If you notice many bands like to sugarcoat their believes in their lyrics, never mentioning God Himself. Someone send me a link of his or her band that you legitamately think is better than for today and ill completely shut up, and that includes you rick gebhardt, horrible reviewer who is probably in love with atreyu. There is a movement rising, a real generation coming forth, and all the believers and unbelievers will notice, this scene has completely died in every way, For Today is one of the true who actually have a real story, meaning behind them. Taking it back.
Infinitely Inwards
Um....what?
Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
Fallujah - The Harvest Wombs
The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
ERRA - Impulse
Aborted - Global Flatline
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape
Infinitely Inwards
BTW......Rick's review ftw!
Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
Fallujah - The Harvest Wombs
The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
ERRA - Impulse
Aborted - Global Flatline
Steven Wilson - Grace for Drowning
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape
Alabama
Dude, you are on the wrong site...maybe you are looking for "bandsonfire.com" or something cause this is the most retarded thing I've ever read on this site. Did you really imply that there aren't bands that are better than For Today? And are you really dissing Rick? Why don't you do me a favor and look deeper than the surface on what you think a band believes because of what they say on a stage or in an album. No one is above using a gimmick to sell albums. Whether they use God, Satan, or anything else in this world. That is the real problem with the "scene" these days. People taking other peoples words just because they are on a platform. I'm done "preaching" for now I suppose. haha
FL
u mad bro?
www.falseidolphoto.com
www.facebook.com/fromtheembrace
If you wouldve read it right, i meant to anyone on here saying for todays writing on music and lyrics are bad. And who is rick?