Gwen Stacy - A Dialogue
Rating
RIYL
Inhale ExhaleStraight Reads the Line
Oh, Sleeper
Release Date
10/20/2009
Label
Solid StateTracklist
1. The First Words2. Profit Motive
3. A Dialogue
4. Creation and How I See It
5. Words of the New Prophet
6. Devil Devil
7. Addictionary
8. Braveheart
9. A Middle Ground
10. The Making Of
11. The Sound of Letting Go
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Solid State Records’ new darlings Gwen Stacy have done the unexpected and released an absolutely killer album in A Dialogue. It is a major step up in every conceivable way from their 2008 debut The Life I Know. The vocals, instrumentation, and production have all been considerably beefed up, and, as the old chestnut goes, the heavier parts are heavier and the catchy parts are catchier. This band has obviously internalized the early Poison the Well blueprint and run with it. They’ve created a record chock full of both excellent melodies and back-breaking, steroidal metalcore.
If you’re looking for breakdowns, there are mammoth ones to be had (see: the title track, “Creation and How I See It,” “Devil Devil”). Every song drips with intensity, the musicianship is rock solid, and new resident screamer Geoff Jenkins turns in a fantastic performance. However, the band isn’t all bone crushing riffs and thunderous drumming. They are very effective at interpolating melody into their metallic attack. It provides a very welcome and effective counterpoint. This is evident right from the beginning in the album’s opening track, “The First Words.” It features both brutal heaviness and unabashed catchiness right alongside each other without seeming forced. The title track recovers nicely after a very weak introduction to, in fact, become one of the record’s better songs, featuring a rousing chorus. “Profit Motive” is arguably the best song on the album as it represents a fully realized amalgam of their two divergent inclinations. “The Making Of” is another song that capably fuses melody and heaviness. “The Sound of Letting Go” is a very good note to end the album on - its reflective piano-based interlude would not have been out of place on Mogwai’s Mr. Beast.
There are a few ways in which Gwen Stacy could have improved upon this album, though. The issues with this disc are simple: at times the clean vocals and the melodic parts can become irritating and seem forced, as the band doesn’t always synthesize disparate ideas without them feeling like parts are tacked on. A more effective use of the clean vocals would have taken this album to the next level. Too often Gwen Stacy seem content to write generic, lackluster choruses when they have proven themselves capable of so much more. Additionally, the album becomes a bit redundant on tracks seven through nine before returning to form for the last two songs.
This album is a major surprise. It is much better than anyone had any right to expect. Gwen Stacy’s ability to combine savage metalcore with silver-toned instrumentation and clean singing is a huge plus. Though they are not in the same league as some of the major metalcore heavyweights that excel at combining these elements, such as label mates August Burns Red, this record has positioned Gwen Stacy to take another big step forward; now if they would only fully integrate the two ideas like they did on “Profit Motive” for an entire album. If Gwen Stacy makes another leap like this for their third record, they will surely find themselves at the forefront of the metalcore scene.
--Jake Oliver
Comments
Minnesota
I'm sorry, but this album was way too bland and way too uninventive to warrant anything more than a 2 out of 5. This is as cookie-cutter and bland as it comes.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Washington, DC
Mary Jane Watson was always sexier than Gwen Stacy.
"Standing still is where we've gone wrong" - The dingees
www.twitter.com/stephenharris09
http://www.last.fm/user/tunemyheart
San Diego, CA
Ooooh I'm gonna have to disagree with you on that one ole boy
Too old to bother, too young to give a shit.
Infinitely Inwards
Multiply rick's statement times infinity and that is how i feel.
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