Disarm the Descent
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Disarm the Descent专辑介绍
Four years after a disappointing full-length in what I like to call their "self-retitled" album, there's been a lot going on in these four years for the band, which all eventually led to a fantastic and crushing album. In a short statement: Phil Labonte was planned to be the new replacement singer, but these were all rumors and he was just singing live with the band during 2010, replacing Howard due to illness. The same happened with the singer whom I'm going to speak about. As I mentioned in said album review, Howard had a lot of personal struggles that ultimately resulted in leaving the band, and that happened at the time when the band was writing and demoing music for supposedly Disarm the Descent.
During that time, the band members have kept themselves busy doing other things in the music industry: Adam went on to form a side project with - again, the singer I'm going to speak about: Times of Grace, while Joel later joined them for live performances. Mike forming a hardcore band with old band members from Overcast (and the latter was on Killswitch Engage's debut), Brain Fair & Tom Gomes: Death Ray Vision. And Justin recording drums for a fellow band, Unearth for their fifth full-length: Darkness in the Light, where he also went on tour with them to promote that album. Though one of the biggest issues during these four years is the repetitiveness, lack of originality and quality, copycats, and sellouts the genre bred. But going back to the band's business and auditioning other vocalists to find the "perfect" replacement for Howard, they eventually landed on the original singer; the one and only, Jesse Leach. It was a smart decision and right for both parties and didn't hurt the band's reputation. Returning to the band after ten years and finally looking better than ever, he was ready and prepared to sing his old material, as well as Howard's. So now the band was set with a slightly updated lineup and ready to record this amazing album return for Jesse. In the past ten years that Jesse was considerably absent, he was in other projects such as the stoner rock/metal band, Seemless, then moving onto a progressive metalcore band, The Empire Shall Fall, and finally with the best producer in the genre and close/best friend, Adam, forming Times of Grace.
This album always had the potential in my mind, and when I heard it fully just two months ago I was in for a treat, from start to finish. Disarm the Descent marks the return of the band's more hardcore sound and essence they've possessed in their first two records - and it's perfect they went back that way because of what Alive or Just Breathing sought: greatness and pleasure. But there's more to this: the melodies, while not better than Howard's, are very good, the riffage is crushing and heavy, the bass is better than the last ten years (from 2012 to 2002), and Justin adding more blast beats for powerful deliverance. Yet what's even better is the incorporation of Adam's death growls (even when Jesse does some as well) and his unique clean vocals. So you're not just listening to a more mature hardcore-based metalcore record, but it's a lot more thoughtful and designed right. Well-written, well-planned, and if it wasn't for Jesse, then I think this band would be done for and no point in continuing with other vocalists and just looking like shadows of their former selves.
Jesse sound healthier in his screams; not too forceful and balanced enough. He always sounded great in his own right when it comes to his clean vocals, and Disarm the Descent proved so. The Hell in Me showcases these improvements very well. He sings very well in Beyond the Flame; both in clean vocals and screams, where he tones them a bit down. Since this is a more melodic track, he contributes very beautifully during the choruses. Most of his screaming in New Awakening are very powerful and understandable, provided by the thoughtful lyrics. You can say the same for You Don't Bleed for Me (not to mention his inspirational-ish vocals during the atmospheric bridge). Probably the band's most famous song to their modern/Jesse respect, In Due Time hints how Jesse reveals some different layers to his clean vocals, while helps with some death growl. Sounding very motivational while aggressive during A Tribute to the Fallen's choruses and outro really defined this song more than I remembered. Underrated and powerful. Turning Point (showing a little experiment by switching from screaming in the first chorus to more prominent clean vocals during the second/outro), All We Have, The Call (which is my favorite song on the album and the best on all aspects), No End in Sight, Blood Stains are other tracks which capture all of Jesse's vocal ranges, and very beautifully executed; it's almost like he's an instrument of his own with his ranges (if that's a proper analogy...?). Always, which is all-around an atmospheric track and one of the band's greatest. For the most part, Jesse sings clean while adding some screaming to compliment the song's meaning.
With this record, Adam started to incorporate and significantly add a lot of texture to the band's songs with his death growls, unclean and clean vocals; totally defining his position as a backing vocalist. While in the majority of this album he growls - my favorite being in Beyond the Flames, In Due Time, All We Have, and The Call's second pre-chorus; sounding very dominating. In other songs, he throws some awesome unclean vocals. In Beyond the Flames, he makes the song sound even more powerful with his clean vocals in the chorus, which is his most prominent clean vocals song. He's also got a small part on the last pre-chorus of Always. Maybe this doesn't say a lot - or enough, but that's how he helped to make this record what it should sound which is being missed in today's standards.
As I said above, while the melodies never left, the crushing riffage is definitely back. I believe the lack of challenging melodies and technicality and more heavy riffs made the experience for both Adam & Joel much fun; not because it's hard or anything for them (I assume), but the music itself has improved with the heaviness. For the most part, the melodies can be heard during the choruses, while the majority of the riffage is heard in the songs' duration. You can hear the crushing riffage in The Hell in Me's intro; in New Awakening's verses and bridge; the crushing riffage in Turning Point's intro is also amazing and probably the best, while it's comprised with other melodies; in the majority of All We Have and The Call; No End in Sight having the fastest catchy riffs during the pre-chorus; Always; Blood Stains showing more than the heavy riffs with its catchy melodies; and Slave to the Machine. The catchy melodic riffs can be heard during Beyond the Flames; in New Awakening's chorus; in the majority of In Due Time, along the great guitar solo; in A Tribute to the Fallen's chorus, whilst being overall very melodic (and what I found interesting about this song's long outro is how similar it sounds to another phenomenal metalcore band, Parkway Drive, in their famous breakdown-ish song, Romance Is Dead). This song also got a heck of a melodic guitar solo. In Turning Point's chorus and guitar solo; All We Have; You Don't Bleed for Me; Time Will Not Remain; and Blood Stains showing more than just the catchy melodies.
What's great about Jesse's records, with the hardcore sound and essence, are the bass and drums (which I'll speak for the latter individually). Mike wasn't that audible in Howard's records, but in Jesse's records, he's another key that opens the vault of great music. During the chorus of the opening track, you can hear Mike striking his bass so viciously. Then the bass becomes more prominent and loud in Beyond the Flames, and obviously when the music gets more atmospheric during the bridges of the band's songs - and just in general, Mike contributes so much. More blazing bass in New Awakening, In Due Time, Turning Point, All We Have, more striking notes in You Don't Bleed for Me, obviously the heaviest song on the album: The Call. Always and Time Will Not Remain in some beats.
I think Justin gave his best with this record or this and beyond. You can already hear in the opening track he's having fun; I mean already blast beats at the beginning was awesome. You can hear some more in Beyond the Flames's pre-verse, before the second verse. More great drumming in Turning Point, All We Have, The Call for being the best for its drums performance, No End in Sight, Time Will Not Remain after the second verse, and the blast beats in Blood Stains the drums sound crisp. Just a few examples to note how great the sound is.
Unfortunately, though, even with such a phenomenal return by Jesse and the sound the band returned to, in addition to multiple other incorporations to their sound, it's not perfect. Had they removed their weakest tracks, then it would've been easily 100%. Starting with the final track on the original tracklist: Time Will Not Remain sounded so weak, irrelevant, and unoriginal. Sure it's got all the metalcore you probably know, but the melodies and clean vocals in the chorus sound very mainstream and generic. For its entirety, the song just doesn't belong. Slave to the Machine also sounded weak. While it was under the same formula as most of the songs on the album were; practically containing everything, the final product was still bad. Pointless bonus track. Although available in the vinyl version, the acoustic version of Always was probably better than any acoustic or instrumental tracks the band had in the first three records, but the original/electric version beats it. At least, still, has the potential.
I'd probably argue whether this album is better than Alive or Just Breathing when it's the band's third-best record. Alive or Just Breathing had an impact; a momentum and originality. This record is just a huge comeback, a refresh, and also original. But even with the slightly higher rating, the impact their sophomore album gave is undeniable and somewhat unbeatable. At the end of the day, I'm just happy Jesse is back and the band returned to their original, yet improved roots. The best songs are Beyond the Flames, A Tribute to the Fallen, Turning Point, All We Have, The Call, and Always.