HCO SF 87
10/02/09, 04:13 PM
Blessthefall - Witness
Record Label: Fearless
Release Date: October 6, 2009
Blessthefall are a 5-piece post-hardcore band from Pheonix, Arizona, who gained popularity in 2007 after releasing His Last Walk. In late 2007, lead vocalist Craig Mabbit left the band due to personal issues. They eventually picked up Beau Bokan (formerly of Take the Crown) and signed with Fearless Records. Their newest release, Witness, keeps the same style of hard-hitting guitars and soaring vocals, but pushes everything just a bit further.
If you were a fan of His Last Walk, you’re going to like Witness. It’s similar to Walk, but everything is kicked up a notch-- the breakdowns are more pulverizing, the lead riffs more intricate, the clean vocals more edgy. The album has a very epic feel to it, with many songs starting with distorted build-ups that charge into breakdowns, accompanied by vocalist Jared Warth’s brutal, though sometimes overused, screams. In addition to this are powerful and even catchy choruses, along with interludes and bridges where everything slows down, really showcasing Bokan’s passionate vocals.
Witness starts off with a great little intro, aptly titled “2.0.” It’s essentially a one-minute breakdown that really gets you pumped for the tracks that follow. "What’s Left of Me” is the second track and second single off the album. It’s a well-rounded song with an equal mix of singing and screaming coupled with some fast shredding and solid drum work. “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted” is a standout track on the album as well, due to its great guitar lines and an infectious chorus. It’s also a nice change of pace, since it’s one of only a couple tracks without screaming. This is followed by "Witness," the heaviest track on the album and probably the heaviest song BTF have ever done. “To Hell & Back” and “We’ll Sleep When We’re Dead,” the demos that have been on Blessthefall’s Myspace for quite awhile, are on here and sound great, thanks to some crisp production. The album has a fitting close with “Stay Still,” a somewhat tamer song on the album, though not without the signature breakdown.
This is an album that Blessthefall fans have waited a long time for and it definitely isn’t a let down. Sure, it’s not exactly the most diverse album, and some of the screaming gets tiring to a point, but it’s a collection of fun songs to blast and make your parents question your music taste even more than they already do.
Silverstein; A Day to Remember; Saosin’s S/T
What’s Left of Me; Skinwalkers; Five Ninety; Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted
myspace.com/blessthefall (http://myspace.com/blessthefall)
Record Label: Fearless
Release Date: October 6, 2009
Blessthefall are a 5-piece post-hardcore band from Pheonix, Arizona, who gained popularity in 2007 after releasing His Last Walk. In late 2007, lead vocalist Craig Mabbit left the band due to personal issues. They eventually picked up Beau Bokan (formerly of Take the Crown) and signed with Fearless Records. Their newest release, Witness, keeps the same style of hard-hitting guitars and soaring vocals, but pushes everything just a bit further.
If you were a fan of His Last Walk, you’re going to like Witness. It’s similar to Walk, but everything is kicked up a notch-- the breakdowns are more pulverizing, the lead riffs more intricate, the clean vocals more edgy. The album has a very epic feel to it, with many songs starting with distorted build-ups that charge into breakdowns, accompanied by vocalist Jared Warth’s brutal, though sometimes overused, screams. In addition to this are powerful and even catchy choruses, along with interludes and bridges where everything slows down, really showcasing Bokan’s passionate vocals.
Witness starts off with a great little intro, aptly titled “2.0.” It’s essentially a one-minute breakdown that really gets you pumped for the tracks that follow. "What’s Left of Me” is the second track and second single off the album. It’s a well-rounded song with an equal mix of singing and screaming coupled with some fast shredding and solid drum work. “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted” is a standout track on the album as well, due to its great guitar lines and an infectious chorus. It’s also a nice change of pace, since it’s one of only a couple tracks without screaming. This is followed by "Witness," the heaviest track on the album and probably the heaviest song BTF have ever done. “To Hell & Back” and “We’ll Sleep When We’re Dead,” the demos that have been on Blessthefall’s Myspace for quite awhile, are on here and sound great, thanks to some crisp production. The album has a fitting close with “Stay Still,” a somewhat tamer song on the album, though not without the signature breakdown.
This is an album that Blessthefall fans have waited a long time for and it definitely isn’t a let down. Sure, it’s not exactly the most diverse album, and some of the screaming gets tiring to a point, but it’s a collection of fun songs to blast and make your parents question your music taste even more than they already do.
Silverstein; A Day to Remember; Saosin’s S/T
What’s Left of Me; Skinwalkers; Five Ninety; Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted
myspace.com/blessthefall (http://myspace.com/blessthefall)