| Some bands have albums that take shape over the span of 2 years, but if you are dedicated like Dear
Life who formed in 2003 and have waited 5 years before your debut album then you might have put
forth something like "Framework." It makes all the difference that after touring for that half
decade that they have a loyal fanbase that seems to enjoy their rough take on the hardcore/metalcore
genre.
As I said above, Dear Life has a style that is a bit rougher than the regulars of the same sound.
The band also shifts between a talented metalcore that features interesting guitars, and rough
hardcore that sports throaty dry vocals and repeatative chuging breakdowns. As you can tell, I'm
more a fan of the anthem vocals and melodic guitars than the other section the band offers, the
coarse growls and repeative nature.
The songs them self are hard to distinguish from one another. Not a very big problem but I had to
check if I was listening to the same track or if it had switched. The rapid fury the album has is a
plus because while some aspects of "Framework" may not draw attention, the build up of the record
never stops (Save for "Embrace" which is a nice interlude of sorts). The rough sound might even
start to grow on you because you start to hear all sorts of extra parts you might have not if it was
perfectly done (such as driving and passionate guitars/bass and vocals.
One of my favorite tracks was "Iceberg" because it had a Killswitch Engage-esqe vibe filled with
singing, impressive shouts and varying guitars. The rest of the album is something to check out as
well. Be aware of the often scrapping vocals and repeative chugs that are littered through out
"Framework" because they do get in the way of making this a good record all the way through.
~ Pernell
June 22 2008 |
