| The Famine The Raven and The Reaping |
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Full Review | User Ratings (9) |
| Summary: The Raven and The Reaping is fast, heavy, and menacing, but it ultimately wears itself out and becomes tired and boring... |
2 of 2 thought this review was well written
Breakdowns. Love them or hate them, breakdowns have become an integral part of modern metal, and over the past 5 years or so, it seems as if 90% of all metal albums have contained an exorbitant amount of them. There are only so many things you can do with galloping triplets before they become stale and overused, and by now every single pattern you could think of has been done to death by pretty much any band that has released upwards of three albums. The Famine, sadly, doesn't appear to be the band that will finally put a stop to all this breakdown nonsense, but they are taking a few steps in the right direction. As far as the sound of the band goes, on the surface they appear to be just like any other newly signed Solid State act. The music is heavy, unrelenting, and fast, much like any other band to put out an album on the label in the past couple of years, but if you pay attention there is an underlying grittiness to the sound that is more or less absent from the recent string of overly polished metalcore albums.
The main difference in the sound of the album is in the production. There are really no slick production tricks to speak of on here, and the album sounds very gritty, which ends up working to the album's benefit. The underproduction also adds to the rather thick and oppressive atmosphere of the album, as the guitars are often muddied into a thick wall of sound. As far as actual riffs go, they are a bit difficult to make out, but when you can, they really aren't all that impressive. The guitars mainly stick the open chord chugging and single string riffs that abound in the genre, and where there is chugging, there are breakdowns. The difference here is that instead of putting breakdowns in the usual spaces within the song, they can pop up pretty much anywhere. Basically, the breakdowns are somewhat disguised, and while the approach may not be anything new or refreshing, its definitely a step in the right direction.
The real musical draw here comes with the drums and the vocals. The vocals aren't exactly of the normal mainstream metalcore variety. Chris McCaddon has an almost overly harsh scream/growl, and it sounds very interesting when paired with the pseudo-metalcore instrumentation. Interesting as it may be, McCaddon doesn't exactly possess a stellar range, so after a few songs, its easy for them to drone on and become a little tedious. The drums on the other hand, provide a top notch performance for almost the entirety of the album. The beats and fills are technical, fast, and, for lack of a better word, pummeling. However, as with the vocals, the constant onslaught (and lack of variation) does become a little bit tedious after a few tracks, which is rather unfortunate.
If there is one thing this album is, its consistent. Every song is fast, aggressive, raw, and heavy, but the lack of variation really just drives the album into the ground after a few songs. On the flip side though, the album is a little on the short side, so it does end before things get too tedious. Basically, if you're in the mood for some metalcore with a slightly different aesthetic, this album would do the trick, for a little while at least.
A few recommended tracks
-Behemoth
-Scar The Earth
-The South Will Rise
-Stitched In Plastic
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| Recent reviews by this author | | |
album art?
Edit: there we go
This Message Edited On 10.05.08
Digging: Mahavishnu Orchestra - Inner Mounting Flame
| | | Album Rating: 3
Got it!
This Message Edited On 10.05.08
Digging: A Days Refrain/Neil Perry - A Days Refrain/Neil Perry Split - EP | | |
Based on the review I doubt I'll check these guys out.
Album art reminds me of Baroness.
| | | Album Rating: 3
Man...I need to start review things that I really like haha...
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you should do Kaki King - Until We Felt Red. it doesnt have a review yet, its not a metalcore album, and you gave it a 4.
| | | Album Rating: 3
You make it seem like all I review is metalcore  haha
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15/25. its a majority. not that there's anything wrong with that.
This Message Edited On 10.05.08
| | | Album Rating: 3
Yeah...not even sure why...I don't really even listen to metal that much anymore...I guess I just find it a little bit easier to review, and actually I have been reviewing it a lot lately...I guess its more that everything else that I want to review outside of metal already has a review that reflects my opinions...
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Your descriptions makes me think this probably more like a 1.5. You're not a bad writer but your reviews read like they can't wait to get to the last paragraphs. Not that it's rushed but that this could be compressed to a really good soundoff. Like if it's the same ol Solid State stuff, why not just list the few differences and be done with it. Also, the intro is just pontificating, it's not really feeding the body. Did you mean to say "metalcore" there or are you suggesting that metalcore has so infiltrated modern metal that the breakdown is now an indelible thing. But ya, prose made sense and I definitely won't be checking out the album as a result of the lukewarm review.
Digging: PSY/OPSogist - Souls Touch EP
| | | Album Rating: 3
Yeah, I thought that intro bit felt a little bit...detached? Yeah I meant metalcore had become the most widespread subgenre in recent times which has, in a way, caused breakdowns to be almost synonymous with modern metal...the review was pretty rushed tbh...its really just a difficult album to write about without becoming redundant after a couple paragraphs because once you've mentioned the few key elements and differences there's really nowhere else to go with it...
I think its mostly just that I need to start writing about albums that I either really enjoy, or really can't stand, because when I write about things I think are mediocre I generally tend to just half *** it...
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Still a good review, just keep writing, you'll only get better. Pos'd.
Digging: Grief - Come to Grief
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whenever i see this in a store i'm tempted to get it just for the artwork.
Digging: Counting Crows - August And Everything After
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Won't like this album because of the first word in your review.
Digging: 65daysofstatic - One Time for All Time
| | | Album Rating: 3
I fiddled with the intro a bit and I think it feeds into the body a little bit better, probably not by much though...
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
this album is sexy because of the band name, album name, and artwork, let alone the aggressive music.
It's what cold be expected when you hear "metalcore".
Digging: Boris - Pink | | | Album Rating: 3
The artwork is pretty awesome...it would make an awesome poster...I do look forward to seeing what the band does next because they have the potential to really break out of the cliches that are holding them back...
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Well written review as usual. I think my mind had a meltdown when you said this:
Quote:
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Breakdowns. Love them or hate them, breakdowns have become an integral part of modern metal,
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UGH!
Digging: Enslaved - Vertebrae
| | | Album Rating: 3
Umm...meltdown why? Meltdown because its like...untrue...or what? haha...
The recommended songs don't really have breakdowns, except one or two that are barely noticeable, and they are actually enjoyable so yeah...
This Message Edited On 10.05.08
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Quote:
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Umm...meltdown why? Meltdown because its like...untrue...or what? haha...
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My mind coming to that reality hahahaha. I meant meltdown as in a bad thing. I may give this a shot.
| | | Album Rating: 3
Oh haha...that's a relief...I thought I said a non-truthatude...
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