Klatzke
12/15/08, 10:02 AM
Before Their Eyes - The Dawn of My Death
Record Label: Rise Records
Release Date: October 28, 2008
I'll be one of the few from this site that will admit to liking Before Their Eyes' self-titled album. It had a certain charm that few bands really seem to achieve these days. While it wasn't anything groundbreaking, I found the merit they deserved in some of the tracks. They weren't just another Rise Records breakdown-band and they managed to set themselves at least slightly apart from the pack with their not-so-accessible post-hardcore styling. The real thing that set them apart from their contemporaries, however, was the off-the-beaten-path vocals of Nick Moore. The guitarists and such held their own, but they really couldn't hold a candle to what was obviously the dominate force on their album. That album may not have garnered the attention it deserved, but it was certainly something that was going to be hard to top for those of us that liked it. However, Moore and the gang decided to try just that, and thus, The Dawn Of My Death was born.
I'm not going to put any charades up about this album. In fact, the first thing that needs to be addressed is the rather cliche title. While the band may have had some idea for the title of the album, it comes across as just that. I'm not bashing them in any way, it's just that if they're planning to be taken more seriously (as this is the direction this album is headed), it would have probably been a better idea to choose a title that would come under less criticism. However, this book shouldn't be judged just on its cover (which also happens to include a purple skull). The music itself should be judged, and once we delve into it we're faced with a completely different beast.
As with their debut, Before Their Eyes approaches all kinds of different genres in The Dawn Of My Death. You're faced with everything from pop ("So In Love"), southern rock (well, most of it), and the post-hardcore sound that permeates most of the album. The styling is pretty erratic, and they manage to switch it up from song to song. The most notable songs are the first five of the album, which includes the should-be hit "So In Love." This song is basically a pop song at its core, and is just damn catchy. It's got some heavy vocal production (and/or vocoder, autotune), but it delivers and makes its way to the top of the album pretty quickly. "Because 7 Ate 9" is another noteworthy track, and here we see Moore's throat getting a bit of a workout. Another thing worth noting is that, although the vocals may sound fairly produced, they're actually Nick Moore in pure form. Having seen them live, I can vouch for him and tell you that he can definitely pull it off.
Their styling may annoy some people, and I get that. They do have some scattered breakdowns, and screaming is still a major part of their overall sound. Unlike most of these scene-y bands, however, these guys don't seem to rely on their breakdowns to get their sound across. While you will hear some screaming and breakdowns, overall, the vocals are dominated by consistently well above average clean vocals. It's easy enough to throw them into the category of "just another Rise band," but that's really not the case. Throughout The Dawn Of My Death, Before Their Eyes manage to stay ahead of the game and throw in just enough diversity to make it through and not fall into the blandness that is post-hardcore. While their musicians may not exactly make a name for themselves on this album, they do at least hold their own. The drummer keeps a constant check on the songs, and the guitarists can throw out some impressive riffs, as well as impressive solos scattered throughout.
The Dawn Of My Death is basically Before Their Eyes' debut album -- just improved upon. While they don't really differentiate between the two albums on this release, they do make a positive step forward. Overall, the musicians are tighter, the vocals better, and the styling more diverse. You no longer know what to expect from Before Their Eyes, and they've made it clear that they can pull of any number of styles, including everything from pop to metalcore. While many of these bands seem to grow stale over time, Before Their Eyes have proven that they can keep up in a competitive market by releasing a sophomore album that can not only rival, but outclass their debut. They've made a positive step in getting away from the mediocrity of the scene they belong to, and while it may not be much different than their debut, the places where they changed it up are where it counts. While it may not appeal to everyone, I think that may people will find The Dawn Of My Death to be a good listen, and it's definitely one you should at least give a chance.
Chiodos; Saosin
myspace.com/beforetheireyes (http://www.myspace.com/beforetheireyes)
Record Label: Rise Records
Release Date: October 28, 2008
I'll be one of the few from this site that will admit to liking Before Their Eyes' self-titled album. It had a certain charm that few bands really seem to achieve these days. While it wasn't anything groundbreaking, I found the merit they deserved in some of the tracks. They weren't just another Rise Records breakdown-band and they managed to set themselves at least slightly apart from the pack with their not-so-accessible post-hardcore styling. The real thing that set them apart from their contemporaries, however, was the off-the-beaten-path vocals of Nick Moore. The guitarists and such held their own, but they really couldn't hold a candle to what was obviously the dominate force on their album. That album may not have garnered the attention it deserved, but it was certainly something that was going to be hard to top for those of us that liked it. However, Moore and the gang decided to try just that, and thus, The Dawn Of My Death was born.
I'm not going to put any charades up about this album. In fact, the first thing that needs to be addressed is the rather cliche title. While the band may have had some idea for the title of the album, it comes across as just that. I'm not bashing them in any way, it's just that if they're planning to be taken more seriously (as this is the direction this album is headed), it would have probably been a better idea to choose a title that would come under less criticism. However, this book shouldn't be judged just on its cover (which also happens to include a purple skull). The music itself should be judged, and once we delve into it we're faced with a completely different beast.
As with their debut, Before Their Eyes approaches all kinds of different genres in The Dawn Of My Death. You're faced with everything from pop ("So In Love"), southern rock (well, most of it), and the post-hardcore sound that permeates most of the album. The styling is pretty erratic, and they manage to switch it up from song to song. The most notable songs are the first five of the album, which includes the should-be hit "So In Love." This song is basically a pop song at its core, and is just damn catchy. It's got some heavy vocal production (and/or vocoder, autotune), but it delivers and makes its way to the top of the album pretty quickly. "Because 7 Ate 9" is another noteworthy track, and here we see Moore's throat getting a bit of a workout. Another thing worth noting is that, although the vocals may sound fairly produced, they're actually Nick Moore in pure form. Having seen them live, I can vouch for him and tell you that he can definitely pull it off.
Their styling may annoy some people, and I get that. They do have some scattered breakdowns, and screaming is still a major part of their overall sound. Unlike most of these scene-y bands, however, these guys don't seem to rely on their breakdowns to get their sound across. While you will hear some screaming and breakdowns, overall, the vocals are dominated by consistently well above average clean vocals. It's easy enough to throw them into the category of "just another Rise band," but that's really not the case. Throughout The Dawn Of My Death, Before Their Eyes manage to stay ahead of the game and throw in just enough diversity to make it through and not fall into the blandness that is post-hardcore. While their musicians may not exactly make a name for themselves on this album, they do at least hold their own. The drummer keeps a constant check on the songs, and the guitarists can throw out some impressive riffs, as well as impressive solos scattered throughout.
The Dawn Of My Death is basically Before Their Eyes' debut album -- just improved upon. While they don't really differentiate between the two albums on this release, they do make a positive step forward. Overall, the musicians are tighter, the vocals better, and the styling more diverse. You no longer know what to expect from Before Their Eyes, and they've made it clear that they can pull of any number of styles, including everything from pop to metalcore. While many of these bands seem to grow stale over time, Before Their Eyes have proven that they can keep up in a competitive market by releasing a sophomore album that can not only rival, but outclass their debut. They've made a positive step in getting away from the mediocrity of the scene they belong to, and while it may not be much different than their debut, the places where they changed it up are where it counts. While it may not appeal to everyone, I think that may people will find The Dawn Of My Death to be a good listen, and it's definitely one you should at least give a chance.
Chiodos; Saosin
myspace.com/beforetheireyes (http://www.myspace.com/beforetheireyes)