Sunday 18 March 2012

Attack Attack! - This Means War






Attack Attack!, for those unfamiliar with them, are a modern metal leviathan from Ohio, USA. They are currently signed to one of the fastest growing record labels in the US, Rise Records and to quote some stats at you, they have over 1.4 million followers on Facebook. This Means War is their third album.

Tracklist:-

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

Well opener The Revolution is something of call to arms. It's full of breakdowns underneath the bitter screams of their vocalist, which makes the poppy, cleanly sung chorus all the more unexpected. It's got an undeniable sheen to it and it reminds of when post-hardcore started to become more popular amongst conscious music fans. It's that mixture of heaviness and melody, that  sucked me in when I was younger and spat me out amongst the grindcore and hardcore I spend most of my time listening to now.

Those screams at the start of The Betrayal are pretty caustic and full of emotion, and the driving instrumentation is full of energy. It's a more straightforward sound than I was expecting, letting their songs and music do the talking for them. Attack Attack! stick to a formula that they're familiar with, but one that does prove to be brutal on the ear. The heavier direction does endear this album to me more. The use of effects add to the music, without being overpowering and there are some really good riffs hiding underneath the screams, with the bass audible in the mix, adding a bit of heft to the low end.

In a live setting, I bet the energy of these songs really translates. I can't imagine many people staying still during an Attack Attack! live set. Again, this is a band that strangely, I'm not hugely familiar with, especially as they seem to be on the tip of every major alternative magazine's tongue at the moment. This Means War has throwback to a lot of older, influential bands lurking amongst the modern production. There's Djent inspired riffs, and moments of (good) nu-metal in places (I'm inclined to say Fear Factory), but you can make you're own mind up. This the kind of screamo that will find it's way onto mainstream radio and is already on heavy rotation on the music TV channels, so will therefore be getting in the heads of impressionable kids, who will be led onto heavier stuff as they get infected (subliminally) by it's beats and grooves.

This chorus of sixth song The Motivation is really good. It's melodic, but without being cheesy. All the songs here follow the same formula, so there's nothing unexpected to catch existing fans out, and enough to help gain them new ones as well. I'm really surprised by the progression in the music, especially on songs like The Family The guitar parts are poly rhythmic, which is something I was expecting from Attack Attack!. This Means War seems to get heavier as it progresses, but it's emphasised by those choruses, that seep with brilliant pop sensibilities. I actually really like this album. Okay, it's repetitive streak may annoy some people, but I think there's enough variation (like the dubstep in penultimate song The Confrontation) , to give an extra bite. I'm all for bands experimenting with new sounds and influences, as that's what drives metal forward.

Attack Attack are clearly still maturing as a band, but if they carry on as they are, they will surely breakout of the confines of their genre and in doing so, will inspire new bands and fans along the way.  So, no matter what type of metalhead you think you are, give this album a chance, your never too cvlt for something new and different!

Be sure to visit Attack Attack! on their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/attackattackus, where you can listen to songs from This Means War. Also visit their webpage at http://www.attackattackoh.com.

I you like what you hear or you;re just curious, you can support them and Rise Records by buying This Means War from http://www.riserecords.com.

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