Miss May I Tread Familiar Ground On New Album

Ohio’s Miss May I have been a favorite of the metalcore genre since their 2009 debut Apologies Are for the Weak. After touring with such heavy weights as The Devil Wears Prada and a run on the Vans Warped Tour, Miss May I have moved closer to the forefront of the genre. With all that being said, the impending release of their newest album At Heart had the eyes of many on this band. Would this new album propel them over so many copy cat bands and to the front of the pack? Well, let’s look at the new album and see what it has to offer.

Vocalist Levi Benton and the boys start off with a short instrumental that also doubles as the title track, but track two is where we really want to turn up the volume. The song is called “Hey Mister” and it’s the lead-off single. By now, I am sure many are familiar with it. There’s a pretty good riff that weaves it way throughout the song, buzzing along and weaving in and out. The chorus features a mix of clean vocals, provided again by bassist Ryan Neff, and Levi’s screams. It’s not a bad choice for a lead-off single and it’s worthy enough of getting the listener’s attention.

“Opening Wounds”, in my opinion, is a stronger overall song both musically and lyrically. I think this song would be an excellent choice as the album’s second single. “Ballad of a Broken Man” is also a good track with some nice riffs and a good hook and it kicks some pretty major ass. Don’t worry; there are definitely plenty of breakdowns on the album for all of those who haven’t grown tired of them.

The rest of the album will certainly appeal to the die-hards of the band and maybe even some of the non die-hards because it sounds a lot like what they have been doing. I don’t mean that to come across as a slam, but you are getting what you expect from these guys and to some fans, that’s a good thing. I just don’t think that they have broken any new ground on this new album. They haven’t raised the bar, yet they haven’t lowered it either.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s a bad album, yet it’s not an amazing album either. Levi’s vocals are pretty consistent with what he has been doing, but in a genre that is becoming almost over-saturated, you have to stand out and not just blend in. He’s solid in his delivery and he is good at what he does, but on a lot of songs there was nothing there that made me go “Wow!”  As for the rest of the band, they put in a solid performance. Lead guitarist Justin Aufdemkampe is really good and he really did shine on several tracks, as did rhythm guitarist B.J. Stead. The rhythm section of Jerob Boyd on drums and Ryan Neff on bass are as solid as they come and they definitely can hold a song together when it may falter in other areas.

I guess I was just looking for more originality, something to make these talented guys stand out from the sea of similar bands. I’m not sure if the changing of producers from Joey Sturgis to Machine was the right thing to do. If these guys are going to want to run the marathon and not just sprint, then they need to stand out in some way from these other bands. The talent is there and maybe they just need to find their metal core Yoda to guide them to that next level

Dead Throne Elevates The Devil Wears Prada To A New Level

There must have been something in the water last year when The Devil Wears Prada recorded their Zombie EP. It’s as if someone or something took control of the band and steered them in a direction that was unfamiliar territory for them. The music and songwriting was taken to another level and the fans were caught off guard, but in a good way. It also left fans wondering if this was just an experimental phase because of the EP or was this something wet their appetites as they awaited the new album.

Well, the wait is over and it is proving to me well worth it. The band just recently released their fourth studio album entitled Dead Throne with very favorable results from both critics and fans. The band is sounded more focused and heavier than ever. The songs on the album, for the most part, were written by guitarist Chris Rubey. Maybe having just a single person focus on the songwriting is going to be the formula that TDWP needs to push them to the next level. It definitely seems to be leaning in that direction on this new album.

I do have to admit that I was buying into this new found direction during the first few tracks on this new album. The band seems to be warming up on the first four tracks and then it happens. I got kicked in the groin when “R.I.T.” began. It’s as if the case of Redbull didn’t kick in until then. Oh, but wait; it doesn’t end there. The rest of the album is just insane! The riffs are much heavier and the musicianship is tighter than ever. The trade off of vocal styles between singer Mike Hranica and guitarist Jeremy DePoyster is taken to a whole new level too.

“Born to Lose”, “Constance” and “Hold Fast” are standouts for so many reasons. Of course, the above mentioned reasons are ever apparent on these selections, but the balance between being heavy while still being catchy on these songs is just unbelievable. The band has also included a synth element with James Baney doing those duties. It really adds a layer to the music while still allowing the songs to take on that heavier sound.

The new album was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage. I think he definitely needs to be credited, at least in part, for helping the band find this new comfort zone which helps them to grow as a group. This is definitely a different TDWP and they show that they have grown by leaps and bounds in such a short amount of time. I don’t know, maybe Adam helped them unlock their own personal Pandora’s Box? There is even an instrumental on the album entitled “Kansas” that showcases just how much the band has grown as musicians since the early days of their debut.

The rhythm section of a band is like the glue that holds them together, but doesn’t always get the praise that they deserve. Well, I think bassist Andy Trick and drummer Daniel Williams need to be given a co-MVP award on this album. The fill-ins that Daniel provides are top-notch and that double-kick of his is in rare form. It’s almost exhausting listening to him on this album!

So, is this the best that TDWP has unleashed on us? Well, I would have to say a major YES to that question. It seems as if almost every aspect of the band has been given steroids, with the exception of writing. It’s pretty much in line with past efforts, but this time it just seems to click better with their new sense of heaviness. The only thing that really doesn’t work for me would have to be Mike Hranica’s high-end screams/vocals, which seem to be a little weak when compared to his low end. His low register has quite a bit of depth to it and is very effective.

I really hope that TDWP will take this new found focus and build on it. Change and evolution is good for a band and is also very necessary for staying power. It’s tough to be a one trick pony in this industry now and not fade away quickly. The guys seem to have woken up to this fact and seemed determined to become a staying power and not just another footnote. This is definitely one of the best releases of 2011 and it also sets the bar high for many bands from this genre looking to release a new album in 2012.