Relapse Symphony - Time’s Running Out

I will begin with full disclosure here.  I have a nasty habit of taking a look at the members of a band and writing them off.  I’m only human.  I took one look at the makeup clad, bandanna wearing, hair teased rockers with the tag “this is what rock is all about” in their press kit and almost skipped them. 
I like natural looking rockers.  It makes it more relatable and feels less fake. 

However, I am really glad I didn’t, because these guys are good.  They have a LostProphets vibe to them, with more solos and even more energy.  In fact, their whole ensemble sort of reminds me of the UK behemoths. 

That’s a good thing.  Lostprophets makes some pretty catchy rock-pop-electronic tunes. 
It’s no different here. 

The album opens on a high note, with a rocking introduction to their music.  A nice, sludgy riff breaks into some nice singing melodies and heavy hooks.  This is very accessible music.  You can really find yourself lost in the groove of it all. 

There are plenty of A Day to Remember style breakdowns thrown in throughout.  The only difference is that while A Day to Remember tries way too hard to seem like a “metal” band and only come off as forced breakdowns to seem “cool” and “scene”, these guys are natural about it. 

Then they break into solo sections.  This is when this band truly shines.  The guitar work is awesome.  These boys can truly play.  That sets them apart from the usual pop-rock “faux metal” groups.  There’s even some late 90’s early 00’s Ataris on songs like The Other Side of Town which is ridiculously catchy and hasn’t left my brain since I heard it. 

This is definitely slightly sugary-heavy music.  This is very poppy in nature but has enough musicality to sustain the rock purists.  This type of music isn’t my favorite, but these guys really grabbed on to me. 
My only complaint about the experience is the singing.  The man has an awesome voice, but for some reason, they decided to throw a ton of effects over it.  While I enjoy vocal effects to add some texture to the music, this is present throughout the EP.  I’m going to keep up with this crew and hope that they release a more natural sounding album.  I’d probably get hooked. 

Check these guys out if you love A Day to Remember, The Ataris, Lostprophets, or any other band of that nature. 

--The Professor