Ferret Records
Tracklisting
1. A Victim, A Target
2. In Response To Stars
3. The Year Summer Ended In June
4. In Summary of What I Am
5. The Stinging Rain
6. Worlds & Dream
7. Murder
8. On Account of an Absence
9. Five Years
10. Difference of Vengeance and Wrongs
This CD has been one of my favorites for a very, very long time, and the reason is that the more I listen to it, the more I can only slightly comprehend the magnitude of just how good it is. I don't even really know where to begin, but I'll start by saying forget the genre, forget what's trendy, or what's the trend to be anti-trendy about, and just look at the album from an objective point of view; it's incredible.
This release from Misery Signals is very complex, technical and melodic metalcore tinged with some of the more passionate elements of hardcore (i.e. lyrical honesty, singalongs, breakdowns... whatever. I don't really know what I'm talking about). I'm not really sure about the various subgenres of metalcore, but it's less riff and harmony based (less Gothenburg-esce) than most metalcore bands, but still very very melodic. Both guitarists Ryan Morgan and Stuart Ross have an uncanny ability to produce refreshing, complex melodies that break out of the typical epic metalcore chord progressions that 10,000,000 bands have gotten incredibly good at in the past 2 years. Whether it's the nearly four minute acoustic/electric/ambient instrumental "Worlds and Dreams," or the absolutely breathtaking end to "Five Years" (which is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite songs), the guitarwork is, as far as I'm concerned, simply refreshing. Talk all you want about how so and so genre is dead- this band rules. The drummer, Brandan Morgan is also superb. I read a review that said something about the "fastest double bass in a breakdown I've ever heard." I'm sure that's not true, but it's pretty damn close. The guy is incredible, and once again, is ridiculously tasteful. There are several breakdowns where his left hand hits the snare at a different time signature than the actual rhythm of the breakdown, which I find to be totally impressive. Also his knack for ambient cymbal work and airy eclectic beats really makes the softer, more experimental moments in this record. And of course, Kyle Johnson rounds things out nicely on bass. I mean honestly, I'm a bass player and I don't even pay attention to the bass in most bands. There aren't too many moments when his particular role stands out, but there is one in particular in "Five Years" that works beautifully. The musicianship on the entire record is just impeccible.
At first, I wasn't a huge fan of the vocalist. Jesse Zaraska came over from Compromise when the band first formed, following the death of two of the members. His vocals are kind of weird sounding. I can't really put my finger on it. Of course, Devin Townsend is a complete wacko and has the infamous skullet, so who knows what the hell he did to make Jesse sound the way he does. His vocals sound layered, and kind of airy... like a whisper, which is sort of irritating at parts. He doesn't have much of a screaming range, but he does avoid monotony by speaking and yelling certain lyrics with an almost startling frequency. And at first, I couldn't really get him lyrically. His lyrics almost seemed too personal... what with the infamous "I hope you know I tried to find those pictures, Jordo" quote and all.
But lately, I've been changing my mind alot. The rest of that quote is "I hope you know I tried to find those pictures, Jordo, of us in Daytona (i think) with the Preshure Point. And I now feel the need to fly and hide inside; and I now feel the need to hide inside your loving arms. Man, I'd give the whole thing up for you." This is a reference to the deaths in Compromise, taken from "The Year Summer Ended In June", and is a perfect example of the sheer honesty and emotion put into this record. Other examples: "I believe in promises, do you believe in trust." "I swear I heard you say blood is forever. So it seems forever meant nothing to you."
The record was produced by Devin Townsend, which essentially means that it recieved the attention it deserved from a very talented producer, and nothing whatsoever was short-changed. The production is phenomenal, although I will say that you can definitely tell that a metal mastermind had his hand in it. Especially in the soft, ambient breaks, there is a certain epic quality that can only be found in metal. Some like that; some don't. I, for one, know that metal for the most part is lost on me, barring a few exceptions (amon amarth), but the instrumentation in these parts is unique enough so as not to bother me.
My only negative comment is that I find the final track to be, well, awful. Perhaps it's just personal taste, but it honestly sounds like Townsend wrote a song for them and then forced them to put it on the record, and it just pisses me off. It sounds like bad Opeth or something. Whatever.
All in all, this record is worth the listen, and has ultimately gone down as a top ten record in my book. I can't keep from listening to it. It's clear that plenty of time was spent on the writing, recording, production, mastering, etc. and it's also clear that Misery Signals is made of seasoned, talented, intelligent, and mature musicians, who understand the difference between rock and art (the former being the negative).
This release from Misery Signals is very complex, technical and melodic metalcore tinged with some of the more passionate elements of hardcore (i.e. lyrical honesty, singalongs, breakdowns... whatever. I don't really know what I'm talking about). I'm not really sure about the various subgenres of metalcore, but it's less riff and harmony based (less Gothenburg-esce) than most metalcore bands, but still very very melodic. Both guitarists Ryan Morgan and Stuart Ross have an uncanny ability to produce refreshing, complex melodies that break out of the typical epic metalcore chord progressions that 10,000,000 bands have gotten incredibly good at in the past 2 years. Whether it's the nearly four minute acoustic/electric/ambient instrumental "Worlds and Dreams," or the absolutely breathtaking end to "Five Years" (which is quickly becoming one of my all time favorite songs), the guitarwork is, as far as I'm concerned, simply refreshing. Talk all you want about how so and so genre is dead- this band rules. The drummer, Brandan Morgan is also superb. I read a review that said something about the "fastest double bass in a breakdown I've ever heard." I'm sure that's not true, but it's pretty damn close. The guy is incredible, and once again, is ridiculously tasteful. There are several breakdowns where his left hand hits the snare at a different time signature than the actual rhythm of the breakdown, which I find to be totally impressive. Also his knack for ambient cymbal work and airy eclectic beats really makes the softer, more experimental moments in this record. And of course, Kyle Johnson rounds things out nicely on bass. I mean honestly, I'm a bass player and I don't even pay attention to the bass in most bands. There aren't too many moments when his particular role stands out, but there is one in particular in "Five Years" that works beautifully. The musicianship on the entire record is just impeccible.
At first, I wasn't a huge fan of the vocalist. Jesse Zaraska came over from Compromise when the band first formed, following the death of two of the members. His vocals are kind of weird sounding. I can't really put my finger on it. Of course, Devin Townsend is a complete wacko and has the infamous skullet, so who knows what the hell he did to make Jesse sound the way he does. His vocals sound layered, and kind of airy... like a whisper, which is sort of irritating at parts. He doesn't have much of a screaming range, but he does avoid monotony by speaking and yelling certain lyrics with an almost startling frequency. And at first, I couldn't really get him lyrically. His lyrics almost seemed too personal... what with the infamous "I hope you know I tried to find those pictures, Jordo" quote and all.
But lately, I've been changing my mind alot. The rest of that quote is "I hope you know I tried to find those pictures, Jordo, of us in Daytona (i think) with the Preshure Point. And I now feel the need to fly and hide inside; and I now feel the need to hide inside your loving arms. Man, I'd give the whole thing up for you." This is a reference to the deaths in Compromise, taken from "The Year Summer Ended In June", and is a perfect example of the sheer honesty and emotion put into this record. Other examples: "I believe in promises, do you believe in trust." "I swear I heard you say blood is forever. So it seems forever meant nothing to you."
The record was produced by Devin Townsend, which essentially means that it recieved the attention it deserved from a very talented producer, and nothing whatsoever was short-changed. The production is phenomenal, although I will say that you can definitely tell that a metal mastermind had his hand in it. Especially in the soft, ambient breaks, there is a certain epic quality that can only be found in metal. Some like that; some don't. I, for one, know that metal for the most part is lost on me, barring a few exceptions (amon amarth), but the instrumentation in these parts is unique enough so as not to bother me.
My only negative comment is that I find the final track to be, well, awful. Perhaps it's just personal taste, but it honestly sounds like Townsend wrote a song for them and then forced them to put it on the record, and it just pisses me off. It sounds like bad Opeth or something. Whatever.
All in all, this record is worth the listen, and has ultimately gone down as a top ten record in my book. I can't keep from listening to it. It's clear that plenty of time was spent on the writing, recording, production, mastering, etc. and it's also clear that Misery Signals is made of seasoned, talented, intelligent, and mature musicians, who understand the difference between rock and art (the former being the negative).
2 comments:
I know exactly what you mean about Jesse's voice, and it took me a long time to put my finger on it. I think they recorded him on two or three different tracks and then played those on top of each other, or used some sort of multiplier effect on his mic. They're all Jesse's voice, but there are definately multiple vocal tracks going on at once.
for the record some of the things i say in this review i don't really agree with anymore... specifically regarding the last song. i've grown a greater appreciation for the musical ideas behind it and i enjoy it much more.
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