Emmure Prove Old Habits Are Hard To Break

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m not sure if Emmure is familiar with that saying or not. It’s been just a little over a year since their 2011 album Speaker of the Dead came out, but the boys are back already on the music scene. A new album entitled Slave to the Game has just been unleashed by the band. Is it another chug fest or do the guys charter new ground and branch out? It’s time to break out the scalpel and dissect this new effort.

The album opens with “Insert Coin” and it’s a short intro that sounds like someone going into what may be an arcade and inserting coins into a game. Track two, “Protoman”, starts off with a killer riff that grabs you from the start. Frankie Palmeri’s vocals are top notch on here. His growls are just as fierce and intense as ever. If this son is any indication of how the rest of the album will go, then we are in store for a very interesting ride.

Well, old habits and patterns are hard to break. The band, which is notoriously known for the use of or overuse of breakdowns, suddenly begins to sound repetitious. You know the pattern: chug, chug, chug, breakdown, breakdown, chug, chug, and chug. Could it be that’s what the fans expect from them and they’re just delivering what they want? If that’s the case, then fans of the band will really like this album because it doesn’t stray from the formula that they use.

Don’t get me wrong, the album is good and it has some killer tracks on it. The previously mentioned “Protoman” is one as well as “Blackheart Reigns” and the insane “Umar Dumps Dormammu”. The latter song is heavy on intensity and shows the band using some samples and electronics which does show the band showing some range. The track probably will turn some fans off because of the experimentation.

The guitar work on this album is also very interesting at times. Jesse Ketive and Mike Mulholland show signs of growth on several tracks. They bring in elements of playing that I think will surprise even the most hardcore of fans. I’m not sure what’s going on with the bass though, as it seems to struggle to be heard on many of the tracks. Did the other guys in the band punk Mark Davis by turning down the amp on his bass? New kid on the block Mark Castillo does a great job on his Emmure debut as drummer and he definitely brings the intensity throughout the entire album. Vocalist Frankie Palmeri is just as strong and solid as ever.

Overall, I can’t give the album two thumbs up or two thumbs down. Maybe it was rushed? Maybe they should wait longer next time in between albums? Maybe working with another producer besides Joey Sturgis again will push them creatively? Comic books and video games are all fine and well, but sometimes you have to write songs with more substance to them in order to keep your fans attention. Time will tell if their fans get tired of eating from the same buffet or if they decide to try something else.

As I Lay Dying: A Decade of Intensity

It’s amazing how quickly ten years can just fly by. It seems like just yesterday when we were reading about this new band called As I Lay Dying and their debut album Beneath the Encasing of Ashes that had just been released. The band quickly won over fans and respect from the critics and other artists. They were a part of Warped Tour, Ozzfest, Soundwave Festival and many other huge shows. They also toured with such heavyweights as Disturbed, Slipknot and Lamb of God.

Now, here we are 10 years and 4 more studio albums later and As I Lay Dying are celebrating. To commemorate their anniversary, the band has released a new album to say thanks to their loyal fans. Decas consists of 3 new songs, 4 covers, 1 re-recorded medley and 4 remixes. It’s a mixed bag of tricks that is sure to satisfy all levels of As I Lay Dying fans. The album opens with “Paralyzed”, which is in the same vein of where the band was on their last album Powerless Rise. This song will definitely wet the appetites of fans who are anxiously awaiting a new studio album and tour. “Moving Forward” is cut from that same musical cloth and will not disappoint the listener.

Cover songs; some people like a band to put their own spin on them while others like for the band to stay true to the original. The band covers Slayer’s “War Ensemble” and totally, no pun intended, slays it. Tim’s vocals on this song fit just like a glove. Next, the band attacks “Hellion” and “Electric Eye” by Judas Priest and produce a result that even the rock icon Rob Halford would give a horns high salute to. The last cover is a 35 second insane spin on the Descendents’ “Coffee Mug”. The medley, “Beneath the Encasing”, contains parts of several songs from their debut Beneath the Encasing of Ashes.

As for the remixes, the band takes one song from each of their releases since Frail Worlds Collapse and I have to admit that there is some very bizarre territory being explored there. They seem a bit bizarre to me for some reason. I’m just not feeling them at all and I don’t think that they bring much to the table. It’s nice for a band to explore new territory and try to expand their horizons, but I am not sold on these remixes. In a world of the ever growing dubstep craze, I think this is a step backwards for the band. I’m just glad it’s for this special album and not a new musical direction for the guys.

Decas is a really solid album, minus the remixes, from the band. The musicianship on the new songs and covers is tighter than the band has ever sounded. Tim Lambesis’ growls are more aggressive than ever and very dark at times. Josh Gilbert’s clean vocals offer a great balance and contrast to Tim’s. This album is something for the fans and is not meant to take the place of a new studio album. If the three new songs are any indication of where the band is headed, then their follow-up to 2010’s Powerless Rise is going to be one of the most anticipated releases of the year.