The hardest albums to review aren’t those so catastrophically bad that you want to slap the band round the face with the CD. Nor are they the technical masterclasses, albums so full of intricacies that ten years later you still hear something new. No, the real fucking buggers are the ones that are just alright. Not too bad, not too good. What the hell are you meant to say about that?
Killswitch Engage – Incarnate
The reintroduction of Jesse Leach into Killswitch Engage rejuvenated the band. Their last album, Disarm the Descent, laid down the gauntlet to every group that has taken the music they make and turned it into generic shit to peddle to the masses. While at the same time their live show seemed to ignite.
Architects – Lost Forever//Lost Together
Architects have had an unusual career path. At one point they seemed like they could do no wrong and were heading for the big time. Then they released The Here and Now, an album which despite some initially positive reviews, slowly saw fans turn against it and then even the band themselves turn their back on material they discovered they had little passion for. Since then the release of Daybreaker has seen them begin the path to redemption and Lost Forever//Lost Together may be the album that seals that return.
I Killed the Prom Queen – Beloved
There is a moment half way through Beloved where I thought I’d made a mistake and accidentally put on shuffle. As “Kjaerlighet” slowly creeps in those not paying attention might believe that “Last Serenade” was preparing to blast through their speakers. It’s become a cliché to say that all metalcore takes it core roots from Killswitch Engage and most bands are just repeating what’s been done before, but sometimes it’s so incredibly obvious you just can’t ignore it.
Ramblings About Wrestling 