Attack Attack! - This Means War
 

Attack Attack! – This Means War
Record Label: Rise Records
Release Date: January 17, 2012

For some reason, I had a bit of hope for this record – and then I pressed play.

I’m not sure why, exactly, but perhaps I thought This Means War would have a bit of an edge that Attack Attack! have severely lacked in the past. Perhaps I thought this album would be a reinvention for the band most well known for their style of “crab-core.” Maybe it was the fact that Joey Sturgis was not a part of this record that made me believe the sound would be something fresh; that, however, is not the case here. On the contrary, Attack Attack!’s third full length sounds almost exactly like their sophomore effort, the stale self-titled release back in 2009.

The barks of “Start the revolution” before the guys waste no time going into a breakdown on the opening “The Revolution” ensure that this is the same old Attack Attack! we’ve heard in the past. Rather than try any time of experimentation, the band seems stagnant and complacent with their sound. The only main difference from their last record to now is the different style of clean vocals – they now have a more radio rock type feel to them, which really doesn’t fit the drop-tuned instrumentation at all.

There are some nearly memorable parts here and there, such as the frantic “The Hopeless” where Caleb Shomo absolutely dominates as he tears apart his vocal chords, screaming his lungs out. Still, there’s nothing that makes This Means War stand out over any other record in the hackneyed genre; it’s all been done before. It even becomes hard to discern which song is which on the record, as they all blur together into one tedious scream-fest.

Shomo’s scream has become stronger this time around, even reminiscing A Day To Remember’s own Jeremy McKinnon at times. While his vocals remain strong, it’s the typical macho lyrical content and over-used drop-tuned guitars that make the record lack any true form of innovation whatsoever.

Even the final “The Eradication” provides no memorable climax to the record. As the war ends, it is one that seems fought without command, direction, or valor. Attack Attack! play it as safe as possible with This Means War, as any of these songs could have fit perfectly on their previous records.

There’s no doubt fans will dig this record, as it’s the same Attack Attack! they’ve heard for years. However, most will write this off as another generic release with no true substance or invention – it’s basically the third time Attack Attack! have written the same record. While I had hope that the guys would possibly release something different – and perhaps even creative – this time around, I was sadly mistaken. This Means War proves only one thing: Attack Attack! are staying on the safe side of the battlefield for the time being.

4/10

Recommended If You Like

Attack Attack!; the heavy parts of A Day To Remember’s What Separates Me From You; Memphis May Fire

Additional Information

Track Listing:
1. The Revolution
2. The Betrayal
3. The Hopeless
4. The Reality
5. The Abduction
6. The Motivation
7. The Wretched
8. The Family
9. The Confrontation
10. The Eradication

Attack Attack! are:
Caleb Shomo – Vocals, Keyboard
Andrew Whiting – Guitar
Andrew Wetzel – Drums
John Holgado – Bass

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These guys really know how to embarrass themselves.

The album art looks like two oddly mutilated penises in a V formation to me.

What has been seen cannot be unseen!

I thought the same thing until I realized they were arms.

I kind of feel bad that you had to review this...

Was thinking of checking this out, but now that I've read this, looks like I can better spend my time elsewhere. Great review, Ryan!

L O L at that score. It must be piss-poor.

i thought that was 2 penises as well for a second

guitar work is so blahh with these guys...could they chug anymore?

Terrible. :yuk: :chairhit: :puke:

"For some reason, I had a bit of hope for this record – and then I pressed play."

This was my exact feeling upon listening to the stream on Altpress yesterday. Sigh.

Screams have gotten worse imo

cannot agree with the review - the 3rd lp is at least harder and more brutal than the 2nd one, and thanks God there are no more songs like "Shut your mouth" or "Lonely". right, the album is rather generic Rise-core, but why do they need to reinvent the wheel?? the whole genre is generic!!

you're being a little generous with that score don't you think??

Haha yeah I could care less about scores - it's low, gets the point across

how did it take this long for this to be posted?

The clips sounded like nu-metal, might as well listen to nu-metal if you like this.

Been saying this since I first saw the art.

You gave AltPress a page view to stream this pile of horseshit? GTFO

As usual this band gets treated unfairly here but I fully agree with the sentiment stated that the record stays on the safe side. There are moments where I'm like ok this is going somewhere and it falls so damn flat. There is nothing memorable on this record for me, and I'd consider myself a big fan of theirs. I think this record is very different from all their records. They're all different in my opinion but honestly they've getting away from what I liked about them.

So sure, my comments will probably get trolled, discredited, and dismissed but it's a shame that the reviewer seems to think it's the same record in a row. It's not. Secondly, I always see these jokes about oh they can't play guitar or "guitar work is so blahh with these guys." Why are you coming to Attack Attack! for guitar work that pleases you? You know what you gonna get. Go somewhere else if you want that. It's just frivolousness and a waste of time.

Finally I agree with the reviewer's statement "I had hope that the guys would possibly release something different." I agree and, I can't believe I'm saying it, the grade is kinda fair. This isn't the progression I foresaw or wanted. I was hoping for more of the self-titled sound just without the auto-tuned singing. Caleb sings really well. I like it but the scream sucks now. On the self-titled it was just bone-crushing, or devastating. It was better than. I like that they tried nu-metal stuff but "might as well listen to nu-metal if you like this."

This record disappoints me, sadly.

Vocals are a big step up from their previous work in my opinion. I think the songs are written better and they've definitely altered their sound, although it's less a step forward than it is a half-shuffle forward and a slide to the left. I probably would have gone with a 6 or 6.5 but then I've been trying to champion this band as being nowhere near as bad as people want them to be ever since the self titled.

I agree to an extent although I vastly prefer Caleb's new vocal technique, and I'll take everything about this over the self-titled or SCS any day. I think they've gotten much heavier since the S/T.

That said, my favorite material for this band will remain the four tracks from the deluxe reissue of the S/T. Those are just solid, definitely more inspired than this record.

I think this band gets a bad rap for that GIF right above us in the thread. Plus these guys were mostly children when they started out. If this record was their debut, and this was the first time people had seen'em; I guarantee you nobody would rail this band.

Yeah! Pick A Side and Last Breathe are two of the best songs they've made. I still love A For Andrew, Sexual Man Chocolate, Renob Nevada, and Smokahontas though.

That's EXACTLY what I said over in the album stream thread. If it weren't for SCS and specifically the Stick Stickly video they would just be viewed as a mediocre-to-decent metalcore band by most people on this website, but no, just because of that music video everyone takes it upon themselves to write paragraph after paragraph about how supposedly "ear-bleedingly terrible" they are.

I actually like this record so far (haven't listened to the whole album at the time i'm typing this comment) but so far huge improvement over their last 2 albums.

I wonder how long it will take the band members to realize that every song title on the album begins with the word "the"

I found this quite annoying too.

Cadaver penises live!

Can't help myself...

better than someday came suddenly, not as good as their self titled

Awesome review. Completely fair, but doesn't bash the band just for the sake of bashing them.

The outro of the second to last song is the only part that really stuck with me. Other than that, it's not a good album... But i didn't totally hate it.

while I don't know much about this band, I've heard most of the 2nd album and "Lonely" is probably the best song theyve ever written, and according to this review, they probably havent written anything better than it yet.

I think it sounds nothing like the last two records, but I do agree, it's terrible.

Holy crap SourStuff you just killed my eyes.

Thomas stop being a bully. It's not nice.

terrible, just terrible

Yeah but that's the point. This record ISN'T their debut... They've had like 5 years to perfect it, and this is what they came out with... It's a huge disappointment, and a terrible album at that. And I actually used to listen to this band... I just think they ran their creative reserves dry and this is what happened. They need to stick with Sturgis, because that's the only time they've ever sounded tolerable, aside from the John Feldmann songs.

Guys-guys-guys!!! Stop it! What did you all expected from AA?? What kind of album?! Athmospheric? Experimental? Melodic hardcore? They play what they can play and what they feel - that's why Caleb produced the album himself without any help from other producers. There is not much space within the genre to make experiments.

Vocals are better but man every song sounds the same

How does this sound like Memphis May Fire?
Also, good review

The Worst

dude...

Never gave this band a chance and I'm glad I haven't. If you're signed to a label, never let the frontman produce the album, it will either kill the band or the relationship they have with the band members.

Can't say I disagree. Basically every song is the same. And the lyrics to every song sound the same too! I don't know if they tried to make this a "concept" album, but it backfired terribly. Do NOT dig this.

lol permaban here we come

Holy crap dude take that down