I can honestly say that Oh, Sleeper are one of those metalcore bands I do have an affinity for mainly because unlike some bands these days, they don't base everything on a chugging breakdown -- they have lyrics that speak and certain have a sense of creating some dynamics via layers of lead guitar and rhythm. Granted, it's the lead guitar melodies that keep me going. When I am God showed promise and Son of the Morning definitely had them step up their game further, so what does Children of Fire give us this time?
Their first cut to start is off is Endseekers. They give you a good punch with guitar melodies, and a whole band shouting together. The song appears to be about how we get deceived and dragged down to hell so to speak but that it's time to whip hell right back at 'em and break free.
Shed Your Soul brings faith to question -- the whole, "What if what your faith was misled and wrong all along? no god, no church, no nothing?". Definitely something I didn't expect from Oh, Sleeper. Pretty quick jam though.
The Marriage of Steel and Skin sounds like the tale of a man walking in and having found a love one wrecked and brought to ruin...and he's ready to tear someone apart! Very ferocious and gives this album a sense that this is a concept album, very much like Son of the Morning.
Hush Yael has a clearly different side to Oh, Sleeper. They pull an intro vibe similar to something 30 Seconds to Mars would do. Before you know it -- musical punch in the face! The vocal harmonies have improved and much less whiny. I found the reference to April 22, 1979 to be interesting -- the date when Samir Kuntar led a terror attack in Nahariya, resulting in the death of five Israelis, including three members of the Haran family.
The Conscience Speaks seems to be a pause on all the madness with an acoustic interlude.
Dealers of Fame deals with how fame can turn a human being into a puppet of addiction or worse, a power hungry monster. Like some of the songs, lead melodies and intense vocals throughout.
Means to Believe gives you a more stripped down, acoustic ballad side -- something not usual with this band and have to say, not bad. The protagonist is apparently in a state of contemplation, asking God for answers in the midst of his chaotic journey.
In The Wake of Pigs tears at self-righteous leaders, false prophets and dare I say, even sickening politicians that lead people along like sheep to the slaughter. Someone's got to draw the line of righteousness and sin and the protagonist has tired of the garbage this world has been fed -- so much tolerance and so much shade of grey, where's the line of right and wrong going to be drawn?
Claws of a God is about climbing back up, healing and regenerating after having fallen from grace in life but to beware the zealots and the filth that continue to to try and tear at you.
The Family Ruin takes that new Underoath sound as they paint the picture of the surviving daughter looking at the father that attempted to avenge her. The story makes you wonder about something being amiss here -- why would a father avenge a daughter that he himself abused?
Chewing the Stitch seems to take on how redemption never seems far out of reach to most of anyone.
Children of Fire closes it out like it started -- guitar melodies, group shouts here and there with some fury. I love the guitar melodies here throughout the verses -- they remind me of classical music somehow. Yes, they throw in some new Underoath synth work in tiny doses here and there. It sounds like the narration comes to a close in a final ferocious war of blood and sand. Dare I say, this reminds me a tiny bit of my favorite show on Starz, Spartacus!
Overall, I found this album more enjoyable to listen to throughout than Son of the Morning and has more of a lasting ferocity than When I am God. By far, I enjoy how they continue to put that lead guitar to good use for melody in order to not fall in the "chugging breakdown is the new solo" slavery that a lot of metalcore bands are falling into. The addition of different elements of synths and even acoustic ballad parts are more than welcome for a music listener as myself and having the band shout together every now and then is always fun to hear, given that not every band pulls that off.
No comments:
Post a Comment