Children 18:3 - Rain's A Comin'

When I first heard All My Balloons, the opening track on Children 18:3's self-titled debut, I fell in love with the band. Children 18:3 was the best band Tooth and Nail had signed in years and their debut was a joyous pop punk record. To say that their follow up, Rain's A Comin', is a darker record is a little misleading because the album isn't dark. But the innocence and joy that was their debut record is replaced with majority and more focused song writing.

Right from the start the title track kicks off the record as an intro to what you're about to hear. Rain's A Comin', the song, is a heavy, driving, rock song. Songs like Cover Your Eyes, The Cruel One, Hey Driftwood, and Oh Bravo all retain the signature Children 18:3 pop punk sound, but all have an edge that wasn't their on the debut. The joyous pop punk is now filled with fury. Wonder I and Jack O Lantern Dreams have a swinging movement that reminds me of MxPx's GSF, while Stronger sounds like a heavier version of Blondie with Lee Marie's vocals coming in hauntingly on the pre-chorus. Lost So Long is a driving rock song that ends the album perfectly. The last official track on the album, The Last Laugh, is an old time piano instrumental piece, that well odd, seems oddly fitting.

Children 18:3 have gone a different direction on Rain's a Comin' and have still managed to create a fantastic record. Majority is showing and it's working out well for the band. Rain's A Comin' is one of the best records I've heard this year.

DeepSpace 5 - The Future Ain't What It Used To Be

I've always loved DeepSpace 5. Mostly because ManChild from Mars Ill is part of the collective. The Future Ain't What It Used to Be might be the collective's most fun album. The production is loose and the tracks are upbeat. From a production standpoint, it's the most enjoyable DS5 record to listen to.

The record starts with an intro track that, like on most hip-hop albums, is unnecessary. The first 3 songs are all great. Lord Willing will get your head nodding and body moving. Black Magic and Oh Geez are more old school sounding in production and remind me of earlier DS5 records.

The lack on a constant theme in production works both for and against the record. Each and every track is it's own song and nothing ever gets repetitive. The listening experience keeps you interested in each track and where the next song is going to go. The problem is I didn't find myself loving any track nearly on the level that I love the first three. From The Outside, Spit Shine, and Lord Willing are the strongest tracks on the album. While tracks like Killing With Kindness and All You Can Eat are quality songs, Natural Selection doesn't stimulate the senses in the same way.

And It Was Good and Where Amazing Happens, the albums closers are both strong songs. The beat on And It Was Good is the better of the two tracks and is still an interesting song despite being 7 minutes long. Where Amazing Happens is a good strong, head bobbing closer.

The Future AIn't What It Used to Be is a little chaotic, but strong production makes the latest from DeepSpace 5 a keeper.

The Roots - How I Got Over

How I Got Over plays like a mind clearing car ride at night. It's been 8 years since Phrenology, the last decent Roots album by most fans standards. The last 3 Roots albums have been less then desirable. Game Theory was pretty awful and although Rising Down had some good moments, the album wasn't strong.

How I Got Over seems to be a change of pace. I don't know if being the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has helped focus The Roots a little better but How I Got Over is strong. A Peace of Light, the albums intro, is the weakest point on the album. It's an odd vocal lead instrumental that almost put me off to the album from the start. But after that, How I Got Over is on point. Walk Alone, Dear God, Radio Daze kick the record off with laid back, piano lead gems. Walk Alone has a strong hook and on all three songs, Black Thought is strong vocally.

How I Got Over is full of strong grooves and catchy hooks. The album features guest appearances from Blu, Dice Raw, John Legend, and many others. The last two tracks on the album are completely unnecessary. Both Web 20/20 and Hustla don't fit with the feel and groove of the rest of the album. They feel like 2 tracks thrown on the end of the record just because they had recorded them. Had the album ended at The Fire, How I Got Over would've been a fantastic and perfect return for the Roots. Despite those last two tracks, How I Got Over is a great record.

Haste the Day - Attack of the Wolf King

Metalcore isn't a genre you'll often find me excited about. Both new records from As I Lay Dying Dying and War of Ages didn't impress me much. All the second tier metalcore bands haven't really found favor in my eyes the past couple of years. Haste the Day isn't a band I've been impressed with since Jimmy Ryan left and even When Everything Falls I didn't care too much for.

Attack of the Wolf King see almost a completely revamped Haste the Day, with only bassist Michael Martin Murphey as the remaining founding member. But it seems to have brought a fresh perspective to the band.

Wake the Sun kicks the album off right. It's hard hitting and while mildly formulaic, it's not uninteresting and it's really good. Dogs Like Vultures is a little more on the melodic scale but still retaining their heaviness. Travesty is the best Haste the Day song ever in my opinion. It hits on all the right notes. The melodies are infectious, the hook is catchy and it's still a heavy song. Merit For Sadness, Un-Manifest, and The Place Most Deny all ring as really heavy songs and really harken back to Burning Bridges and old school Haste the Day. White As Snow is a ballad I probably could've done without because it ruins the feel the album has. Their could've been a slow ballad on the record that didn't seem to interfere with the flow. But it's quickly forgotten as Crush Resistance kicks things back into high gear. The albums closer, My Name is Darkness, seems to be too much like something I've heard from Underoath more then once. A slow building guitar and drone into a heavy hook. It's well done and a good track but it seems too contrived.

Overall, Attack of the Wolf King is better then anything I've heard Haste the Day release since Burning Bridges. The clean vocals have never sounding as crisp and on point and Stephen Keech's vocals are great. The first couple of tracks on AOTWK remind me of Killswitch Engage, which is not a bad comparison. It's the best metalcore record I've heard since An Ocean Between Us. There a couple of flawed moments on Attack of the Wolf King but not enough to make me not love it.

The Dog Days of Summer

June has been a slow month for records. Not a whole lot coming out that has been attention grabbing or anything I care about. I know for a fact that July is a better month with new music from A Plea For Purging, My Epic, Children 18:3, Haste the Day, Norma Jean, and Starflyer 59 (I think).

Call To Preserve - Life of Defiance

Facedown and Strike First Records have been on point this year. 2010 has been the year of quality hardcore and metal from the Facedown Family. Saving Grace, A Hope For Home, As Hell Retreats , and Shapes Stars Make have all released great records in 2010. Call to Preserve has released the best album on the label in 2010.

Life of Defiance shows off Call to Preserve's Floridian roots. Their latest record has a lot of Shai Hulud and Strongarm influence, which is great. It isn't your straight forward hardcore record. If you're looking for breakdowns and big pit moments you should look elsewhere. But Life of Defiance is a unique mix of the melodic Florida hardcore scene and the tough guy roots that Call to Preserve come from.

Life of Defiance, the title track album opener, is a slow moving song. It's not a kick you in the face lead off hardcore song, but a slow build. It sets the album apart right from the start. It moves quickly into Drawing Lines on All Sides, a mid-tempoed track that is rooted in Florida hardcore. Both Empty Promises and The Weight are fast moving circle pit songs. Where Functionary is big and bombastic, Desoto is subdued and melodic. Thin Skin sounds like it could've been lifted from Shai Hulud's debut record, starting off slow and almost pained and kicking into circle pit mode, then into something the kids can dance to.

The album ends with Last Look Back, a track that encompasses what Life of Defiance is all about. It's not a throwback record and although it has the feel of mid 90's Florida hardcore, Call to Preserve has made it their own sound and created one of the best hardcore record I've heard in the last 10 years. Fans of Strongarm and Shai Hulud will want to check out Call to Preserve's latest and hardcore fans in general will want to give this record a spin. It's a fresh look at hardcore.

Classic Album: Embodyment - Songs For The Living

Songs For the Living was Embodyment's first album for XS records and their last album as a band. After the departure of Kris McCaddon, Embodyment left death metal behind. Their two subsequent albums with Corbray on vocals floated in a hard rock hybrid state. The Narrow Scope of Things had some mild screamo influence and played like a metal band trying to be an emo band. Hold Your Breathe was straight forward hard rock but still felt like a band trying to find itself.

Whether it was leaving Tooth and Nail records or just finally clicking but Songs For the Living feels like a cohesive rock record. The song writing is simplified. The songs don't have a false sense of trying to be heavy. Reaching Out, the albums lead track, kicks off with a simple riff that slams into the chorus progression. The hook is catchy and the song is upbeat. Who's to Blame isn't a song you'd called a ballad but it's the most laid back song Embodyment ever released. Don't Go, like Reaching Out, has a memorable, simple guitar riff and a hook that's catchy and easy to sing. White Flag is almost anthemic, and you can see the song being played with a large crowd singing along.

Songs For the Living is Embodyment's second incarnation finally finding their sound. It's a great rock record and although Narrow Scope of Things had some great songs on it, it doesn't match the writing that Songs For the Living had. Corbray's voice sounds as strong as ever. The sad thing is fans always wanted Embodyment to keep playing metal and those days were behind the guys in the band. Songs For the Living is an under appreciated album from a band at it's best.

The Meltdown 1.5

Far - At Night We Live

Although I enjoy listening Game, Far isn't a band I've ever been super excited about. They released a cover version of Ginuwine's Pony that was interesting enough for me to pick up their reunion album, their first in 12 years, At Night We Live.

The album kicks off nicely with Deafening, a straight forward rock and roll song. And that's how I would define At Night We Live. It's a rock record. If You Cared Enough, Dear Enemy, and Fight Song are all hard rock songs, similar to their previous contemporaries, bands like Boy Sets Fire. While songs like Burns, Give Me A Reason, and Are You Sure are more modern sounding like Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday. The title track, At Night We Live, is a solid ballad and the crowning jewel of the record.

At Night We Live has enough movement and is each song is so sonically different from the previous that there's no fault with the record. It never becomes boring. There are enough highs and lows to keep the listener engaged. Far have created an album that those who have never listened to Far's discography can pick up and enjoy from start to finish. It's an unpretentious rock record.

Classic Album: Project 86 - Truthless Heroes

Truthless Heroes had the misfortune of being the follow up to Project 86's beloved Drawing Black Lines. It also was Project's one and only album on Atlantic records. Where Drawing Black Lines was raw and aggressive from start to finish, Truthless Heroes was melodic and seemed subdued. An drew has admitted his desire was to get heavier but the major label push kept that from happening. It's not that Truthless Heroes was a terrible record, it just wasn't Drawing Black Lines.

Truthless Heroes starts off strong. Little Green Men channels some of the aggression from Drawing Black Lines and has a similar feel to the Spy Hunter demo. Caught In The Middle catches you off guard, as the song features a lot of Randy Torres on vocals. Andrew's trademark yeel/chant/scream is replaced with traditional singing. A Word From Our Sponsors is the first of 4 radio type spots on the album that helps draw the concept of the album together. S.M.C. is another great Project 86 song. It has the anthemic feel a lot of the songs from Drawing Black Lines had. Team Black is a cross between being heavy and melodic. The hook to the song is catchy and heavy but the verse is so monotone and dry that it brings that song down. Your Heroes Are Dead is clearly a song meant for radio glory but it's a showcase of how good Project 86 is and how well they can write songs.

Another Boredom Movement is a song that has a straight Drawing Black Lines feel. The production is cleaner and more polished and not as loud but the song itself sounds like it was written when Drawing Black Lines was. Bottom Feeder is weird slow song. It's not really a ballad but I guess you would call it the ballad of the record. Shelter Me is another song that seems tailor made for the radio. It's big catchy sung chorus has all the making of a big hit. The problem with Shelter Me is that it features so little of Andrew Schwab on vocals. Last Meal is a weird song but a great one. The hook has a great grooving guitar riff and the vocals of Mark Salomon make this song great. Soma is more of an actual ballad. It's not terrible, but by the time you get to Soma the song structure has become so monotonous that you're uninterested.

Hollow Again is the album's last true song. It was the first radio single. It's a pretty good song. It's got a catchy hook and by comparison of what rock radio was offering at the time, Hollow Again would've been an improvement.

But Hollow Again was never a big hit. Truthless Heroes had turned off a lot of Project 86 fans. Project could never reach the level of P.O.D. or even Blindside. Truthless Heroes was lost on mainstream rock and roll America and Project 86 fans were disappointed. After one album Atlantic dropped Project 86. Truthless Heroes isn't Project 86's greatest album. But I feel like that album is panned more then it should. There are shinning moments on the album and looking back, it's not nearly as bad as it seemed when it was released.