Klatzke
12/01/08, 09:39 AM
Agraceful - The Great I Am
Record Label: Sumerian Records
Release Date: August 19, 2008
In late 2007, there were a couple bands we were sure to see the end of. First was the up-and-coming screamo hopefuls Emarosa, who parted ways with their vocalist Chris Roetter, and the second was Dance Gavin Dance, who had recently shed their lead vocalist Johnny Craig. Craig went on to work with Emarosa, leaving Roetter to find and adopt a project of his own. Not much later, we saw the birth of Agraceful. Agraceful burst onto the scene in Dayton (one not far from me) playing with such large acts as Norma Jean and all of the artists on this years massive Scream The Prayer tour not long after their formation. They signed quickly, without releasing so much as an EP, and released their debut album The Great I Am on Sumerian Records.
One of the premier (rumored) reasons that Roetter left Emarosa was so that he could pursue a project that had a more religious foundation. Thus, we have many Christian-minded lyrics on The Great I Am. They're not blatant, and they've usually got some style, but for people that dislike the Christian message, they'd be a turn-off. They're not beating you over the head with the message, but at the same time, you know what it is they're writing for, and it gives the album some definite class. In a time where it seems like most Christian bands either feel the need to deeply ingratiate their message into your mind or to completely disregard the religion they're supposed to be embracing, Agraceful is a breath of fresh air.
The vocals of the album are one of the main highlights, and they dominate the tracks. Whether it's Roetter's screamed, growled, or sung vocals, they impress. While the screams do border on grating in some places, they mostly fit it well, and the vocals are mixed up quite well; you get solid doses of all three of the vocal techniques. The growls are particularly impressive. It's not that they're anything new, it's just that Roetter's happen to have a great sound. The clean vocals, while good, aren't anything new either, and they're basically a re-hash of The Devil Wears Prada's sung vocals. The instrumentation on the album isn't really anything groundbreaking, but the musicians do have some talent. As far as instrumentation goes, they're farther from the aforementioned The Devil Wears Prada, and closer to the more melodic and atmospheric feel of Oceana. They've still got a bite, but they do well to keep it away from the standard instrumentation of most screamo releases. They've also strayed away from the breakdown-breakdown-breakdown formula that has come to be a staple in this genre. While the vocals may get heavier in parts, and the music may do the same, they don't have to rely on a breakdown to get their sound across.
They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and that seems like the truth with Agraceful. While Johnny Craig made a complete genre transformation with his move to Emarosa, Roetter's new project is very comparable to his old one. And why not? I can't blame him for doing what he does well. Basically what I'm saying is if you think you'd enjoy a more mature and interesting version of the old Emarosa, then look no farther than Agraceful. However, if you didn't enjoy them before their line-up change, then you'd be best to stay away from Roetter's new project. While I didn't like the fact that Roetter ever left Emarosa, I have to say, this is one line-up change that actually worked out perfectly.
Oceana; In Fear and Faith; old Emarosa; The Devil Wears Prada
myspace.com/agraceful (http://www.myspace.com/agraceful)
originally posted at highbeamreview.com on August 25, 2008
Record Label: Sumerian Records
Release Date: August 19, 2008
In late 2007, there were a couple bands we were sure to see the end of. First was the up-and-coming screamo hopefuls Emarosa, who parted ways with their vocalist Chris Roetter, and the second was Dance Gavin Dance, who had recently shed their lead vocalist Johnny Craig. Craig went on to work with Emarosa, leaving Roetter to find and adopt a project of his own. Not much later, we saw the birth of Agraceful. Agraceful burst onto the scene in Dayton (one not far from me) playing with such large acts as Norma Jean and all of the artists on this years massive Scream The Prayer tour not long after their formation. They signed quickly, without releasing so much as an EP, and released their debut album The Great I Am on Sumerian Records.
One of the premier (rumored) reasons that Roetter left Emarosa was so that he could pursue a project that had a more religious foundation. Thus, we have many Christian-minded lyrics on The Great I Am. They're not blatant, and they've usually got some style, but for people that dislike the Christian message, they'd be a turn-off. They're not beating you over the head with the message, but at the same time, you know what it is they're writing for, and it gives the album some definite class. In a time where it seems like most Christian bands either feel the need to deeply ingratiate their message into your mind or to completely disregard the religion they're supposed to be embracing, Agraceful is a breath of fresh air.
The vocals of the album are one of the main highlights, and they dominate the tracks. Whether it's Roetter's screamed, growled, or sung vocals, they impress. While the screams do border on grating in some places, they mostly fit it well, and the vocals are mixed up quite well; you get solid doses of all three of the vocal techniques. The growls are particularly impressive. It's not that they're anything new, it's just that Roetter's happen to have a great sound. The clean vocals, while good, aren't anything new either, and they're basically a re-hash of The Devil Wears Prada's sung vocals. The instrumentation on the album isn't really anything groundbreaking, but the musicians do have some talent. As far as instrumentation goes, they're farther from the aforementioned The Devil Wears Prada, and closer to the more melodic and atmospheric feel of Oceana. They've still got a bite, but they do well to keep it away from the standard instrumentation of most screamo releases. They've also strayed away from the breakdown-breakdown-breakdown formula that has come to be a staple in this genre. While the vocals may get heavier in parts, and the music may do the same, they don't have to rely on a breakdown to get their sound across.
They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and that seems like the truth with Agraceful. While Johnny Craig made a complete genre transformation with his move to Emarosa, Roetter's new project is very comparable to his old one. And why not? I can't blame him for doing what he does well. Basically what I'm saying is if you think you'd enjoy a more mature and interesting version of the old Emarosa, then look no farther than Agraceful. However, if you didn't enjoy them before their line-up change, then you'd be best to stay away from Roetter's new project. While I didn't like the fact that Roetter ever left Emarosa, I have to say, this is one line-up change that actually worked out perfectly.
Oceana; In Fear and Faith; old Emarosa; The Devil Wears Prada
myspace.com/agraceful (http://www.myspace.com/agraceful)
originally posted at highbeamreview.com on August 25, 2008