Blessthefall - Awakening [Post-Hardcore/Metalcore/Christian Hardcore]

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- Release Info -------------------------------------------------------------- -

Artist:      Blessthefall
Album:       Awakening
Label:       Fearless Records
Playtime:    49:22 min
Genre:       Hardcore
URL:
Rip date:    2011-09-29
Street date: 2011-10-02
Size:        97.29 MB
Type:        Normal
Quality:     273 kbps / 4410Hz / Joint Stereo

- Release Notes ------------------------------------------------------------- -

"Blessthefall have been a bit touch and go with me over the years. Their first
release His Last Walk has been and always will be Blessthefall’s best release.
Nothing they’ve released since then has been as good, until possibly now.

Awakening is Blessthefall’s third full-length and second album with Beau Bokan
at the vocal helm since Craig Mabbit left the band for Escape The Fate
sometime ago. First and foremost, this album shits all over Witness their
second full-length album in every way possible.

Without harping on the past too much I still remember the disappointment I
felt when I heard Witness. Blessthefall’s latest effort Awakening has washed
away some of the bitter taste in my mouth, and while it’s not as good as His
Last Walk it’s still a great album.

I found myself while listening to Awakening actually hearing the effort put
into this release. While some moments on the album feel like rehashed pieces
of Witness which is to be expected, a lot of the tracks on the album have this
energy about them that reminds me of some of the tracks on His Last Walk.

Not only is this album some of the best material Blessthefall have put out in
years, the guitar riffs are a whole lot better too. With some of the riffs
even (dare I say it) sounding a little bit technical at times. There are a few
breakdowns that make an appearance on Awakening which is also to be expected
and somewhat predictable from an album in this genre, but they’re tastefully
placed when they are used. Never underestimate the power of a tastefully
placed breakdown even if they are overused by mostly every other band in the
same genre.

The overproduced scholar production sound from Witness has still found its way
into Awakening, but you know what? There aren’t many bands in the same genre
that aren’t releasing overproduced sounding albums, it has actually become the
norm so I’m not going to rag on them about it too much because it’s still a
great album and the overproduction can easily be seen past.

The classic metalcore combination of screamed vocals with clean vocals thrown
over the top is still used on the album and while the combination to some has
probably passed exhaustion point and become stale, I’m a fan of Blessthefall’s
clean vocals and think it works in their favour. The clean vocals at times can
be overwhelming and whiny, but most of the time they generate a powerful
effect that helps break up the chaos of the album.

The solo in “40 Days…” was surprising. It’s refreshing to hear a band that is
known for relying on breakdowns to throw in a solo it shows they can play more
than just open stringed drop-tuned guitar riffs. The beginning of “Don’t Say
Goodbye” is energetic, somewhat technical and also quite an enjoyable song on
the album. Gems like this sound like throwbacks to their debut his Last Walk.

This album doesn’t bring anything new to the table and it certainly won’t find
its way onto most people’s album of the year lists, but it is still a solid
sounding record and proves that Blessthefall haven’t completely lost the art
of creating a decent album."

- Track List ---------------------------------------------------------------- -

01. Awakening                                                         ( 1:19)
02. Promised Ones                                                     ( 3:36)
03. Bottomfeeder                                                      ( 3:35)
04. I'm Bad News, In the Best Way                                     ( 3:50)
05. The Reign                                                         ( 4:00)
06. 40 Days...                                                        ( 4:18)
07. Bones Crew                                                        ( 3:16)
08. Don't Say Goodbye                                                 ( 3:46)
09. Undefeated                                                        ( 3:25)
10. 'Till the Death of Me                                             ( 4:25)
11. Flatline                                                          ( 1:42)
12. Meet Me at the Gates                                              (12:10)


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