All That Remains “A War You Cannot Win” Album Review
review by Denise Borders
@punkworldviews
All That Remains is dropping their 7th studio album, A War You Cannot Win, today via Razor & Tie. For this record, the band reunited with longtime producer Adam D (The Devil Wears Prada, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage). I was eager to check it out and see how different or alike it sounds to For We Are Many because not too much time has passed between albums. HERE WE GO YOU GUYS.
Track List:
1. “Down Through the Ages”
2. “You Can’t Fill My Shadow”
3. “Stand Up”
4. “A Call to All Non-Believers”
5. “Asking Too Much”
6. “Intro”
7. “Just Moments in Time”
8. “What If I Was Nothing?”
9. “Sing for Liberty”
10. “Not Fading”
11. “Calculating Loneliness”
12. “A War You Cannot Win”
Down Through the Ages starts off in typical ATR fashion. From the second the vocals hit, it sounds like I’m going to like it, but the song sort of loses me about two and a half minutes in with an extra-long guitar solo with what sounds almost like motorcycle engines. I definitely like it when Phil screams versus his harmonies, and the track opens up strong but fades out a bit for me. Blahhh blah.
The second track, You Can’t Fill My Shadow starts off better for me. Of metal styles, I am most fond of speed metal. I wouldn’t consider ATR a speed metal band per-say, but it doesn’t mean they can’t have hints of it in their tracks. The track starts off fast, me likey. I prefer Phil’s vocals in this one above the first track already. The chorus isn’t quite as strong but I like the overall beat in this track much more, plus the guitar solo is WAY better. That combined with the drums they put behind it, KILLER.
Stand Up is more of an alternative-rock sounding track, so it has more of the mass-metal appeal. I like my shit a little heavier and faster, but it definitely sounds like the slowed down ATR. I can’t imagine this song being a hit in their life show and it’s thus far my least favorite on the record.
A Call to Non Believers is next and already redeeming my faith in the album. With a heavy start, it’s much easier to bang my head around to. I really like the deep, growling vocals in this one. This is a really random reference, but in this song they remind me of the screamer from Rise Records band MS White (whom I’ve ALWAYS felt was underrated). Moving on.
Asking Too Much is something that guys I date typically do from me, but I guess that’s irrelevant. This song starts off like the theme song to some 80’s Tom Cruise movie (which is totally cool). Even though Phil’s not screaming as much, I still like this track. It sounds a little like late 90’s radio rock, but seems more well-written. At this point, I’m convinced there is a guitar solo in every song.
I was intrigued that Into was in the middle of the album. It’s 21 seconds of what sounds like an acoustic guitar. That is all.
The album trudges straight into the next track, Just Moments in Time, which is actually pretty bad ass. It starts heavy and has that standard ATR breakdown with harmonies, but for the most part stays pretty fast and heavy. Me likey.
What If I Was Nothing? slows the tempo down a bit with a drawn out, slow intro that breaks into another mass-metal-radio-rock song. Not my favorite, but not terrible. Phil actually has a pretty nice voice, and he really exercises it in this track, plus he really shows his soft side, lyric-wise. I think he could have has a career as a country music singer honestly. Just sayin.
Sing For Liberty sounds like it’s going to be fucking awesome because I’m from the South and it sounds like something people at home would jam to. I enjoy the erratic beginning, which quickly breaks into your ATR harmonies. COME ON! KEEP METAL-YELLING. It’s okay, I know it’s what they do, but it doesn’t mean I can’t prefer the nasty growls over the real singing. Wahh.
Not Fading is my least favorite. I don’t know how this track made the cut to be on the record.
Not Calculating tries to trick you into thinking it’s just an instrumental track, except it’s not a trick. It’s over two and a half minutes of what could be the intro to a Staind song.
Finally, the title track, A War You Cannot Win finishes the album off. To me, this song sums up what All That Remains is as a band. It’s got the yelling, the harmonies, the growls and the fast-paced mass-metal. It sounds very traditional ATR, which makes me realize that this band hasn’t really changed since their last record, they just wrote some new songs. I’m not complaining, ATR is still a generally young band when it comes to how long they’ve been around so they have plenty of time to develop as artists and find new sounds.
I think ATR fans are going to like this album. I don’t dislike this band, but they aren’t someone I typically play in the car on my way to work or anything either. Whilst doing this review, I realized that I’m not a huge ATR fan in general, which sucks because they’re really cool dudes and I’d throw back a beer and shoot a shotgun off with them any day of the year. I’ll still go see them live if they’re coming around, but I probably won’t be pumping iron to this record anytime soon. I have a need for speed and they just like to slow it down a bit too much for ol’ DB.
Check out the rest of the band’s tour dates with Dethklock and special guests, The Black Dahlia Murder
11/7/2012 Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
11/8/2012 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
11/9/2012 Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion
11/10/2012 Detroit, MI @ Fillmore
11/11/2012 Grand Rapids, MI @Orbit Room
11/13/2012 Fargo, ND @ The Venue
11/15/2012 Milwaukee, WI @ Rave
11/16/2012 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
11/17/2012 Kansas City, MO @ Midland
11/18/2012 St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
11/20/2012 Denver, CO @ Fillmore
11/21/2012 Salt Lake City, UT @ Great Salt Air
11/23/2012 Seattle, WA @ Showbox SODO
11/24/2012 Portland, OR @ Roseland
11/26/2012 Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
11/27/2012 Hollywood, CA @ Palladium
11/28/12 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
11/30/2012 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
12/1/2012 Austin, TX @ Stubbs
12/2/2012 Houston, TX @ House of Blues
12/4/2012 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
12/6/2012 Chattanooga, TN @ Track 29
12/7/2012 Charlotte, NC @ Fillmore
12/8/2012 Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
12/9/2012 Knoxville, TN @ TheValarium
12/13/12 Ft. Wayne, IN @ Piere’s
12/15/12 Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Presents the Oakdale
http://www.allthatremainsonline.com
http://www.facebook.com/allthatremains
http://www.youtube.com/user/allthatremainsmusic
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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