ALL THAT REMAINS „The Fall of Ideals”

Music: Metalcore/Melodic Death Metal
Country: United States
Website: http://www.allthatremainsonline.com
Duration: 38:58
Cool Songs: We Stand, The Weak Willed, It Dwells Me in

Along with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and UNEARTH, New England’s ALL THAT REMAINS is a band that focuses more on heaviness and musicianship, and less on fashion and whiney, Emo vocals. Sure, vocalist Philip Labonte sings with clean vocals, but his vocals are dripping with passion and pain, instead of the bouncy, teeny-bopper, Pop Punk vocals that have seem to taken over this scene in the last couple of years. In fact, it seems that every song has great sing along choruses. The melodic guitar coupled with Labonte’s heartfelt singing, “We stand again, it breaks my heart, we stand again, the anger burns and I fall apart” on ‘We Stand’ keep looming ever larger in my mind with each listen, calling me to press repeat and sing these catchy choruses. ‘It Dwells me in’ is another track with cleanly sung vocal parts that are sure to cling to the minds and tongues of most listeners.

Equally impressive is the alternating between brutality and melody. One part may be slow and melodious with hollowed, passionately sung vocals (credit should be given to KILLSWITCH ENGAGE’S Adam Dutkiewicz for an excellent production, which surely helped Labonte get his best voice possible). Practically without taking another breath, the band changes into brutal breakdowns and screaming harshness (no Screamo) or speedy Death Metal licks and growling vocals. ‘The weak willed’ is an excellent example of the group’s disparate styles. The track begins with a fast, low end, palm muted tremolo riff that is more akin to bands like DEICIDE than bands associated with the Metalcore scene. Labonte trades off semi-Black Metal shrieks and brutish Hardcore vocals, yet cuts in with his trademark clean vocals and the track ends with melodic guitar notes. What an impressive showing of vocal diversity!

The Gothenburg Sweden influence that permeates through this style of music is still there, but it is not cliché. Oli Hebert and Mike Martin do it with class without ripping off the same note-based rhythm that countless bands of this sub-genre have been doing ever since they first heard SHADOWS FALL near the beginning of the this decade. The guitar duo does an excellent job of using riffs in this style and making them unique.

The commercialism of certain bands in this scene has nearly turned Metalcore into the second coming of Glam or Nu Metal. Sure, it has made their music more palatable to the radio listening masses, especially the “goth” mall kids, and made money for these bands. But in turn, it has taken credibility away from true metal heads, the people who keep music going, even in the face of unpopularity, and ultimately it is leading to the demise of this scene. With ALL THAT REMAINS’ “The Fall of Ideals”, metal heads have something to make them proud. This album is something you won’t feel ashamed of having when your hardcore Thrash or Death Metal buddies come over to your house. Prosthetic Records has once again proved why they are the leading Metalcore label in the world!

note: 8/10

Tracklist

1. This Calling
2. Not Alone
3. It Dwells On Me
4. We Stand
5. Whispers (I Hear You)
6. The Weak Willed
7. Six
8. Become The Catalyst
9. The Air That I Breathe
10. Empty Inside
11. Indictment

Line-up

Philip Labonte – Vocals
Oli Hebert – Guitar
Mike Martin – Guitar
Shannon Lucas – Drums
Jeanne Sagan – Bass