Post by thesoundmonitor on Apr 17, 2004 6:37:43 GMT -5
FEAR BEFORE THE MARCH OF FLAMES
Odd How People Shake
(Equal Vision/Rise) EVR 91
First issued by Rise in 2003, Fear Before the March of Flames’ debut has receieved a well-deserved re-issue after signing with screamo front-runner label Equal Vision. The re-issue includes bonus video footage not available on the original pressing, and serves as a forewarning for things to come as the band continue work on their sophomore release.
Combining the technical mastery of The Mars Volta with traditional hardcore aggression, Fear Before run the gamut of screamo with dual vocal attack, indecipherable lyrics and painfully mournful tangents.
The closing moments of ‘Go Wash Your Mouth, I Don’t Know Where It’s Been’ (I love this genre’s penchant for phrases as opposed to titles) sees a minimal vocal and guitar duet recorded in distant lo-fi fashion serve as a calm before the storm. Without any notice the duet pauses before the band spearhead into ‘Given to Dreams’, a less-technical affair focusing on the development of emotion-driven movements before finally breaking down in classic rock fashion, tinkling, warped piano signifying a brief moratorium.
Bassist Michael Madruga and drummer Brandon Proff really need to be commended for being able to hold this cacophony together as clearly demonstrated on ‘The Lisbon Girls, Oh The Lisbon Girls’ – a stop/start affair that struggles to get moving, just begging for an At The Drive In comparison midway through.
‘What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas’ marks the albums’ official final moments before a prolonged piano outro peters out serving as the complete antithesis to that which came before.
By Warren Wheeler
Artist website: www.marchofflames.com
Label website: www.equalvision,com
Label website: www.riserecords.com
Buy this album: www.evrstore.com
Odd How People Shake
(Equal Vision/Rise) EVR 91
First issued by Rise in 2003, Fear Before the March of Flames’ debut has receieved a well-deserved re-issue after signing with screamo front-runner label Equal Vision. The re-issue includes bonus video footage not available on the original pressing, and serves as a forewarning for things to come as the band continue work on their sophomore release.
Combining the technical mastery of The Mars Volta with traditional hardcore aggression, Fear Before run the gamut of screamo with dual vocal attack, indecipherable lyrics and painfully mournful tangents.
The closing moments of ‘Go Wash Your Mouth, I Don’t Know Where It’s Been’ (I love this genre’s penchant for phrases as opposed to titles) sees a minimal vocal and guitar duet recorded in distant lo-fi fashion serve as a calm before the storm. Without any notice the duet pauses before the band spearhead into ‘Given to Dreams’, a less-technical affair focusing on the development of emotion-driven movements before finally breaking down in classic rock fashion, tinkling, warped piano signifying a brief moratorium.
Bassist Michael Madruga and drummer Brandon Proff really need to be commended for being able to hold this cacophony together as clearly demonstrated on ‘The Lisbon Girls, Oh The Lisbon Girls’ – a stop/start affair that struggles to get moving, just begging for an At The Drive In comparison midway through.
‘What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas’ marks the albums’ official final moments before a prolonged piano outro peters out serving as the complete antithesis to that which came before.
By Warren Wheeler
Artist website: www.marchofflames.com
Label website: www.equalvision,com
Label website: www.riserecords.com
Buy this album: www.evrstore.com