Saving Grace - Unbreakable
Rating
RIYL
No Innocent VictimFigure Four
Bloody Sunday
Release Date
01/05/2010
Label
Strike First RecordsTracklist
01. End of Days (Intro)02. Unbreakable
03. Bury Me in Jiménez
04. The Disgusting Maw
05. Pukelips
06. Where It Rains
07. The Eye of the Storm Part II
08. Oaxaca
09. All, But the Archer
10. The Listener
11. Bound by Blood
12. The Determined Drunk
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Saving Grace have been playing spirit-filled hardcore in one of the world’s smaller land masses, New Zealand, for several years now. Each year they gain more and more momentum and since their highly anticipated 2008 release, Behind Enemy Lines, the band has received wholehearted reviews in both the USA and Europe. The album even took the band on tour across New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and the USA. Needless to say, these guys have been working hard at making a name for themselves. They have now released their second album, Unbreakable, into the Facedown Records family, and we can only hope that it is as brutal and exciting to listen to as their first installment.
Being on Strike First, there is usually much for a band to prove. They are at the bottom of the barrel so to speak, waiting in the minors for their big break to their parent label or to a major indie. Well, with the release of Unbreakable, it doesn’t seem Saving Grace will be doing too much heavy hitting in the majors this year. If I could sum up this new release in one word it would be cliché. I really didn’t think bands were still using open-chord breakdowns for their album intros, but I now stand corrected. “End of Days” is just one giant mess of open/close breakdown, to two-step, to BRUTAL breakdown, to “Well I guess we can end this monotony and transition into the next track" indecision. The next track, which happens to be the title track, isn’t much better. The first thirty seconds is semi-promising fast and aggressive musicianship then it just flips the switch back into redundancy. At the 35 second mark, vocalist Nicholas Tautuhi belts out some sort of atrocious yelp, and then the band proceeds to once again play more open-chord breakdowns… as if we haven’t already heard enough on the minute and a half long intro. Honestly, every track is the same exact formula. The vocals are horrendous. Apparently Saving Grace felt the need to drop their harmonizing clean vocals and stick to straight growls. “All But The Archer” seems to be the best track on the album as it breaks away from the mold they fit the rest of the album into and transfers some fairly listenable riffage to our ear canals. It would only be a waste of typing if I were to give a synopsis of every other track.
The one thing that will keep this band successful is their devotion to keeping faith in their music. The band touches on many subjects such as betrayal, hope, friendship, addiction and abuse and delivers them all through salvation, sacrifice and conviction. If anything, the Christian hardcore scene will eat this album right up. As far as other listeners who want talent with their message, this album will just become another thing tossed into the back seat of someone's car. Frankly, the only thing that kept me listening to the whole album, besides the fact that I had to, was for a good chuckle. So cheers to all the x’d-up bros that will be spin kicking their way through this album. Enjoy it, because I guarantee you another one just like it will be out for you to scoop up in no time flat.
--Bill Lohr
Comments
Minnesota
Their debut was so good... and this is so underwhelming... sad...
Lehigh Valley, PA
Yea man, the debut was amazing actually. This was such a huge disappointment.
Alabama
I've actually never listened to this band but this album definitely isn't the one I want to start on. I am a christian and an advocate of good spirit-filled hardcore and I love when bands have an awesome message but I hate when bands think they can make crappy redundant music and get away with it for the sake of Jesus. (For Today) but you are right, kids eat it up. Funny cause I am still a kid myself, I guess I'm just not brainwashed...
Alabama
Rick, when you say their debut, are you talking about their self titled ep?
Maine
Yeah, I'm really not into this at all.
Everyone on the dancefloor is doomed!
Minnesota
No, I'm talking about their 2008 album Behind Enemy Lines.