Scott Weber
11/21/05, 04:47 PM
Left Behind – Who Wakes Up Like This?
Release Date: November 30, 2004
Record Label: Of Cabbages and Kings
Overall Score: 7/10
While every other band out there is striving to sound like somebody else, there are a few bands that still write creative music that transcends genre definitions. My expectations were admittedly low for the Left Behind EP, but when I popped in the CD I was pleasantly surprised. An excellent combination of steady tempo rock and big choruses, this CD drew all kinds of parallels to other artists in my mind, most notably Foo Fighters, Millencolin, and Open Hand. “Are We The Dining Dead” is a heavy track with an outstanding chorus that combines dark chords with towering vocals. It’s followed with a down-tempo bridge that nicely sets up a re-entry into the chorus once again. “Show Gun Tyrants” contains a rock verse that changes pace in several spots. One of the key assets of this band is their ability to keep songs interesting by varying screaming with melodic singing. The drumming is quite good as well, as countless fills flow throughout every song. Even during guitar solos, the drumming stays fresh and interesting without sinking into a pattern.
In “Providence,” what appears to be a simple pop song blasts into “Can you hear me scream?” The vocalist is very talented as he combines several different types of singing. While the only way to define this album is “rock”, it is made up of hardcore, grunge, and punk. Although the production on this CD is not perfect, it is certainly acceptable. The crackling vocals and sometimes thin cymbals make Left Behind accessible to the listener. The EP closes with two long tracks, one of which being the dynamic “Black, Velvet, or Shoes.” This song is incredibly multi-faceted, with thick metal riffs, to a subtle accompanied acoustic guitar part. Once again, the song also possesses many tempo changes to keep the track interesting.
This EP shows a lot of promise and it is definitely different than most of the stuff you’ll hear out there. While the songs are extremely varied, there are more than a few occasions in which the music itself grows stale. The effort is there, but the songwriting is lacking at times. While a few of the earlier tracks have great hooks to them, a few of the others lack them. The songs also tend to be too long as one song tends to run into the next. Ending the EP with two songs that are over 6 minutes long is a poor choice, especially since the last track is over 8 minutes long and is by far the weakest on the CD. It is missing all the key ingredients that made the other tracks so unique – it just sounds like any old punk song out there. That really left a sour taste in my mouth, especially after knowing the band can do much better. It really is a solid release however, and the possibilities for a band like this are endless. If you’re looking for a sound that has seemed to have disappeared from the scene as of late, then look no farther than Left Behind.
Release Date: November 30, 2004
Record Label: Of Cabbages and Kings
Overall Score: 7/10
While every other band out there is striving to sound like somebody else, there are a few bands that still write creative music that transcends genre definitions. My expectations were admittedly low for the Left Behind EP, but when I popped in the CD I was pleasantly surprised. An excellent combination of steady tempo rock and big choruses, this CD drew all kinds of parallels to other artists in my mind, most notably Foo Fighters, Millencolin, and Open Hand. “Are We The Dining Dead” is a heavy track with an outstanding chorus that combines dark chords with towering vocals. It’s followed with a down-tempo bridge that nicely sets up a re-entry into the chorus once again. “Show Gun Tyrants” contains a rock verse that changes pace in several spots. One of the key assets of this band is their ability to keep songs interesting by varying screaming with melodic singing. The drumming is quite good as well, as countless fills flow throughout every song. Even during guitar solos, the drumming stays fresh and interesting without sinking into a pattern.
In “Providence,” what appears to be a simple pop song blasts into “Can you hear me scream?” The vocalist is very talented as he combines several different types of singing. While the only way to define this album is “rock”, it is made up of hardcore, grunge, and punk. Although the production on this CD is not perfect, it is certainly acceptable. The crackling vocals and sometimes thin cymbals make Left Behind accessible to the listener. The EP closes with two long tracks, one of which being the dynamic “Black, Velvet, or Shoes.” This song is incredibly multi-faceted, with thick metal riffs, to a subtle accompanied acoustic guitar part. Once again, the song also possesses many tempo changes to keep the track interesting.
This EP shows a lot of promise and it is definitely different than most of the stuff you’ll hear out there. While the songs are extremely varied, there are more than a few occasions in which the music itself grows stale. The effort is there, but the songwriting is lacking at times. While a few of the earlier tracks have great hooks to them, a few of the others lack them. The songs also tend to be too long as one song tends to run into the next. Ending the EP with two songs that are over 6 minutes long is a poor choice, especially since the last track is over 8 minutes long and is by far the weakest on the CD. It is missing all the key ingredients that made the other tracks so unique – it just sounds like any old punk song out there. That really left a sour taste in my mouth, especially after knowing the band can do much better. It really is a solid release however, and the possibilities for a band like this are endless. If you’re looking for a sound that has seemed to have disappeared from the scene as of late, then look no farther than Left Behind.