This or the Apocalypse - Haunt What's Left
Rating
RIYL
Inhale ExhaleAugust Burns Red
Parkway Drive
With Life in Mind
Release Date
06/22/2010
Label
Good Fight MusicTracklist
1. Charmer2. Subverse
3. The Incoherent
4. Lamnidae
5. Hellish
6. Toro
7. Backlit
8. Hayseed
9. Deadringer
10. Revenant
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For all of the mileage these guys are getting out of advertising Chris Adler as the co-producer of this album, those expecting something resembling Lamb of God will not find anything like that on Haunt What’s Left, save “The Incoherent” and an odd riff or two. Instead of good ol' American metal, we’ve got good ol' American metalcore, for which I am admittedly a sucker. Look, this isn’t a world-beating formula and, yes, it is a formula, but for those bands that get it, damned if it doesn’t work. This or the Apocalypse are one of those bands, seamlessly melding the heavy with their more melodic inclinations. If you like bands such as Parkway Drive or Inhale Exhale you’ll probably like this too; if you don’t, I’d probably just stop reading.
“Charmer” kicks the album off with a three-and-a-half-minute bludgeoning before giving way to “Subverse,” the first song to play the melodies off the beefy crunch, and sporting a pretty killer chorus to boot. The aforementioned Lamb of God -esque “The Incoherent” is next up, followed by “Lamnidae.” A version of this song appeared last year on the Pentagon Series split with War From a Harlot’s Mouth and The Acacia Strain, though here it’s been re-worked and an already very good song has clearly reaped the benefits of being overhauled, becoming the record’s obvious stand-out. “Hellish” and “Toro” just sort of exist, but the album comes back to life strongly with the seventh track, “Backlit,” owner of another great chorus and some huge breakdowns. “Backlit” rights the ship after the mid-album lull, basically helping the rest of Haunt What’s Left fall into place to end on a strong note. Also, closer “Revenant” is particularly good.
Haunt What’s Left is definitely a genre release, staying pretty comfortably within the boundaries of melodic metalcore, but This or the Apocalypse do the style well. There are no surprises, but the band is pretty adroit so even the familiar feels fresh. This sophomore release is a big step up from their pedestrian debut Monuments, and, much like another pleasant surprise from last year in Gwen Stacy’s A Dialogue, exhibits enough potential to hint at these guys one day becoming another August Burns Red. It certainly doesn’t hurt that they’re from the same hometown.
--Jake Oliver
Comments
Minnesota
I liked their last album well enough so I'm looking forward to giving this a try.
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Infinitely Inwards
Weird, I was just listening to this album right before i saw this review. Pretty sweet for metalcore.
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
their drummer has some of the best chops in the genre.
current listenings:
Of Virtue - "Heartsounds"
Capsule - "No Ghost"
Century - "Red Giant"
James Vincent McMorrow - "Early In The Morning"
Blind Pilot - "We Are The Tide"
Kansas
thank god. a legit album for metalcore this year.
http://rateyourmusic.com/~benny06
Minnesota
Damn. This album is frickin' rad. I have a feeling I've found a new album to listen to while out on runs.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
