flks511
07/17/09, 05:37 PM
My Eyes Fall Victim - My Eyes Fall Victim
Record Label: Self-released
Release Date: April 2, 2009
Generally, when I am about to hear the debut release from a new metalcore band, I'm less than excited. Past experience has told me that after putting in the CD, I will be greeted by generic breakdowns, non stop screaming, and extremely repetitive guitar arrangements. But every now and then there are some bands that manage to pleasantly surprise me, such as the self-proclaimed lovechild of Parkway Drive and As Cities Burn, My Eyes Fall Victim.
On the band's self-titled EP, the aggressive vocals and heavy guitars take a backseat to a more passive, melodic brand of metalcore, featuring acoustic instrumentals and heavy synth/piano. Even in the heaviest of moments, lead vocalist Mike King doesn't feel the need to bellow into the microphone; instead, he sings in a more restrained (yet emotional) voice. The breakdowns and screamed vocals are sprinkled throughout the entire album, but often times the best parts of the songs are not the metalcore moments, but the softer, more ballad-like parts. "This Picture Is Only Worth 999 Words" features layered vocals and driving guitars for the entire first half of the song, but what really makes this song great is the slow-paced outro. King cries out on top of beautiful chorus chants, after a great acoustic break.
Most of the EP is like that: a good song made great by one shining moment toward the end. The closing track, "Smooth Seas Make for Poor Sailors" is the best example of this, as it's ending is the best part of an already great song, where King's melodic whispers of "Be still/And know who you are" break into an inspiring outro to close out the album. You'll also have to wait until the end of "Given The Choice Between You and a Seasick Crocodile, I'd Choose the Seasick Crocodile" to hear the piano breakdown, but the song is enjoyable while you wait.
Ultimately, it is the softer, slower moments on the EP that give it the personality and spark that it has, while the heavier moments will keep the metalheads satisfied. My Eyes Fall Victim are a truly talented band, able to combine metal, hardcore and alternative music effectively to create a unique brand of metalcore bound to please fans of both post-hardcore and soft alternative rock.
Saosin; Underoath; Before Their Eyes; Parkway Drive
www.myspace.com/myeyesfallvictim (http://www.myspace.com/myeyesfallvictim)
Record Label: Self-released
Release Date: April 2, 2009
Generally, when I am about to hear the debut release from a new metalcore band, I'm less than excited. Past experience has told me that after putting in the CD, I will be greeted by generic breakdowns, non stop screaming, and extremely repetitive guitar arrangements. But every now and then there are some bands that manage to pleasantly surprise me, such as the self-proclaimed lovechild of Parkway Drive and As Cities Burn, My Eyes Fall Victim.
On the band's self-titled EP, the aggressive vocals and heavy guitars take a backseat to a more passive, melodic brand of metalcore, featuring acoustic instrumentals and heavy synth/piano. Even in the heaviest of moments, lead vocalist Mike King doesn't feel the need to bellow into the microphone; instead, he sings in a more restrained (yet emotional) voice. The breakdowns and screamed vocals are sprinkled throughout the entire album, but often times the best parts of the songs are not the metalcore moments, but the softer, more ballad-like parts. "This Picture Is Only Worth 999 Words" features layered vocals and driving guitars for the entire first half of the song, but what really makes this song great is the slow-paced outro. King cries out on top of beautiful chorus chants, after a great acoustic break.
Most of the EP is like that: a good song made great by one shining moment toward the end. The closing track, "Smooth Seas Make for Poor Sailors" is the best example of this, as it's ending is the best part of an already great song, where King's melodic whispers of "Be still/And know who you are" break into an inspiring outro to close out the album. You'll also have to wait until the end of "Given The Choice Between You and a Seasick Crocodile, I'd Choose the Seasick Crocodile" to hear the piano breakdown, but the song is enjoyable while you wait.
Ultimately, it is the softer, slower moments on the EP that give it the personality and spark that it has, while the heavier moments will keep the metalheads satisfied. My Eyes Fall Victim are a truly talented band, able to combine metal, hardcore and alternative music effectively to create a unique brand of metalcore bound to please fans of both post-hardcore and soft alternative rock.
Saosin; Underoath; Before Their Eyes; Parkway Drive
www.myspace.com/myeyesfallvictim (http://www.myspace.com/myeyesfallvictim)