The Meltdown 102: The Top 30 of 2012

The Top 30 of 2012

Top 30 of 2012

There was a lot of great music in 2012. There were 38 records that I gave a 5 star review and 50 more that got 4 out of 5 stars. Winners this year?

Tooth and Nail. Tooth and Nail had a great year of releases and one of the labels best in a long time! Yeah, they had a couple records I wasn't completely into but their overall output in 2012 was solid.

The other big winner this year is Kickstarter. The OC Supertones, Project 86, Starflyer 59, and Joy Electric are just some of the bands that released records that were fully funded by their fans via Kickstarter. 2012 really was the beginning of a new era for music.


Honorable Mentions:
Tongue & Pen - The Likeness EP
The Modern Post - Grace Alone EP
Converge - All We Loved We Leave Behind
Sigur Ros - Valtari
Wolves At The Gate - Captors
Altars - Conclusions 
Children 18:3 - On The Run
The Chariot - One Wing

And now... The Top 30!

                                                       30. Starflyer 59 - IAMACEO

Starflyer 59's thirteenth LP is indie rock perfection. The record fits in nicely and compliments the band's discography nicely!


                                          29. Sixpence None The Richer - Lost In Transition

It had been ten years since Sixpence's last full-length (although only four since their ep and Christmas albums) but the band hasn't lost a step.


                                                28. The Burial - Lights And Perfection

The Burial full-legnth follow-up to their stellar debut ep is a huge step forward. Tech metal goodness.


                                              27. Sent By Ravens - Mean What You Say

Sent By Ravens second full-legnth and ultimately their swan song was a killer post-hardcore record. If you're going to go out, go out on a high note. And that's what Sent By Ravens did.


                                                 26. Letter To The Exiles - Make Amends

After a pretty unimpressive debut, Letters To the Exiles returned with an excellent melodic hardcore album.


                                                      25. Michael Know - Live This Love

Michael Knox's debut is an album full of heart-felt, well crafted pop songs. The best record you haven't heard yet!


                                    24. To Speak Of Wolves - Find Your Worth, Come Home

With a new vocalist in tow, To Speak of Wolves ditched the post-hardcore stylings of their debut to deliver a brutal record! Heavy heavy stuff!


                                                 23. The Overseer - We Search, We Dig

The Overseer's Solid State debut was a raw, powerful record.


                                               22. Owl City - The Midsummer Station

The Midsummer Station is Owl City's finest work to date. Adam Young adds some more diversity to his band's sound, creating more pop goodness.


                                                   21. Becoming The Archetype - I Am

Becoming The Archetype bounces back from their disappointing last album, Celestial Completion. With a new singer in tow, The Archetype boys delived a new brand of death metal with I Am.


                                                   20. Project 86 - Wait For The Siren

Wait For The Siren was a breathe of fresh air for Project 86. With a new band in tow,  vocalist Andrew Schwab seems to have found a new passion, and it comes through on Wait For The Siren.


                                                     19. mewithoutYou - Ten Stories

Time heals all wounds. Including mewithoutYou's last album. Ten Stories takes the folk elements of It's All Crazy and adds some of their signature post-hardcore stylings, creating a great indie soundtrack.


                                                     18. As I Lay Dying - Awakened

Awakened is just a fantastic metal record! As I Lay Dying do what they do well.


                                                17. Abandoned Pools - Sublime Currency 

Sublime Currency is a delightful electro/indie pop record. Catchy melodies and great hooks. A top to bottom killer record.


                                                      16. Your Memorial - Redirect

Your Memorial's follow-up to Atonement builds off what the band did so well on their Facedown debut and makes it better! A melodic hardcore masterpiece. Great hooks, killer riffs, strong melodies.


                                                            15. Eisley - Deep Space

Eisley's Deep Space ep is more intimate musically than last year's stellar The Valley. The songs are rich and lush, providing a soundscape we haven't heard from Eisley until now.


                                                    14. The Wedding - No Direction

No Direction is straight up rock &roll! Turns out rock isn't dead after all.


                                                     13. MxPx - Plans Within Plan

The punk legends just don't make bad music! Plans Within Plans is another great pop punk record.


                                                         12. Lovedrug - Wild Blood

Instantly catchy. The riffs on Wild Blood are super infectious.


                                                  11. House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want

The great moments on Cold Hard Want are absolutely great. Catchy songs that feel more heartfelt than House of Heroes past albums.


                                                                10. Lecrae - Gravity

Gravity is special. There's something for all types of hip-hop fans. The songs are catchy, but more importantly, Lecrae has something to say and his lyrics hit hard.


                                              9. Further Seems Forever - Penny Black

The return of Chris Carrabba to Further Seems Forever was everything I hoped for! Catchy, slightly off-tempoed emo/rock songs! It's the follow-up to The Moon Is Down that all FSF fans wanted.


                                                   8. Beautiful Eulogy - Satellite Kite

Hip-hop for the indie music fan. Some off kilter beats, some spoken word, some great melodies, and lyrics with a message. Satellite Kite isn't just for hip-hop fans.


                                                          7. States - Room To Run

Room To Run was actually released last year but Tooth and Nail gave it new life and re-released it this year. A great mix of Blondie and Denali. Female-fronted indie rock and it's best!


                                                        6. P.O.D. - Murdered Love

Murdered Love feels like the rebirth of P.O.D. A great blend of heavy rapcore, catchy radio songs, punk tracks, and ballads. Murdered Love hits hard from the time to press play to the time I Am finishes.


                                                             5. Britt Nicole - Gold

When I reviewed Gold, I said it was everything I didn't like about christian music but it was exactly what christian pop music needed. I didn't expect to completely fall in love with the album. A great pop record with a strong message. Not your everyday CCM record but a true modern pop record.


                                                                   4. Sins - Sink Away

This album was literally just released but I've been waiting for this album for 2 years now. Sins is the punk rock side project of Anberlin guitarist Joseph Milligan. Sink Away is super catchy, hard hitting punk rock in the vain of Face to Face! Great record!!!


                                                     3. Hammock - Departure Songs

Hammock makes the most beautiful music in the world! Departure Songs is a double record full of great ambient pieces, a handful of post-rock songs and killer shoegazer tracks. Music to meditate on and to. 


                                                    2. Gideon Grove - Wildfires

Ok, Wildfires by Gideon Grove is the best record of the year that you haven't heard! Haunting melodies, wide, lush soundscapes create something special and unique. 


                                                      1. Deftones - Koi No Yokan

Up until I heard Wildfires, Koi No Yokan was the only record that made me stop what I was doing and take time to truly listen. I knew the Deftones had delivered not only the record of the year, but the record of their career!

Starflyer 59 - IAMACEO

Ever since I started listening to Christian music in 1996, Starflyer 59 has been around. I've been a fan since 97's Americana and the band has been one of my favorites since 01's Leave Here A Stranger. While members have come and gone, front-man Jason Martin has forged ahead and continued to make indie rock goodness.

As the band heads into their 20th year of existence, IAMACEO marks a new chapter for Starflyer 59. It's the band's first non Tooth and Nail released album. There's no cd version of this record. Fully funded via Kickstarter, Martin and company choose to release the album on mp3 and vinyl.

IAMACEO is similar musically to the band's previous two outings (Dial M and The Changing Of the Guard) and like those albums, Martin continues to write deeper and more meaningful lyrics.

The title track kicks off this album, almost as a declaration of band's new freedom from Tooth and Nail. A great upbeat rock song with a classic vibe, but the lyrics hit hard ("You can build it on your own, but you're still not in control"). Is the song about leaving Tooth and Nail? Is the song about, no matter how much freedom you have, there's always someone over you, even if you're the CEO? Is it a veiled reference about God? It's one of the great thing's about Martin's lyrics, sometimes there's a mystery that's left for the listener to just take from it what they want.

Bicycle Rider is a slightly 80's tinged pop song. As always, you know a Martin riff when you hear it. Always catchy in it's almost simplistic nature. Is This All There Is just asks the question the title suggest. The harmonica, which Martin has used in the past, creates a subtle alt-country vibe. Open Hands is a dirty rock song. The guitar tone on Martin's lead is one I don't think I've heard on a Starflyer song since The Birthrite. The piano and harmonica driven Father John feels familiar. It has a swanky feel like the songs on Talking Voice vs Singing Voice did.

I Feel Black is one of my favorite moments on the record. A fun surfy riff that opens up the song, a punchy bass riff moving through the verse but the chorus is dark sounding. The juxtaposition between the verse and chorus creates a beautifully complex moment on the record.

IAMACEO is a fantastic record. Hopefully it's not Martin's last because with each album it feels like Starflyer 59 has more to give.

Joy Electric - Dwarf Mountain Alphabet

Some bands you assume will be around forever. So when Ronnie Martin announced after Favorites At Play that Joy Electric was going on hiatus, it was shocking and sad. It was also understandable. Joy Electric had always been underrated and out of place. Tooth and Nail was loyal to Ronnie Martin but that market was never accepting of Martin's creativity and originality. Joy Electric's brand of synthpop was never going to to be the next big thing.

So the announcement that Dwarf Mountain Alphabet was on it's way was exciting for myself and all Joy Electric fans. And we waited all last year... And this year... Until finally a kickstarter campaign was launched to fund the record. And finally Dwarf Mountain Alphabet has been released!

And let me say, the wait was worth it! The album is a great combination of Christiansongs and The White Songbook.

Dwarf Mountain Alphabet is more dancey than any previous JoyE release. The songs are upbeat and fun. The greatest example is the re-written version of Sing Once For Me. Same melody and same hook, but different lyrics and a completely different feel. The song has a new energy and life that, while I love the old version, it didn't have the same vibe.

I do wish that Ronnie had beefed up his rhythm section a little. What are the "drum" tracks seem a little hollow and some ounchy 808 would've really helped to make Dwarf Mountain Alphabet a full fledged 80's synthpop dance record. But I imagine that's not what Martin was going for.

Dwarf Mountain Alphabet is the perfect return for Joy Electric. The songs are upbeat and fun but Martin's lyrics feel deep and personal, more spiritual than they've been at times. Joy Electric fans will love Dwarf Mountain Alphabet!

Quick Hits - Come and Live Records

Come and Live Records just dropped a handful of records over the last couple of weeks. All of them you should check out!

Everett's second ep, Arrival  is a perfectly simple ambient piano album, leaving the largely post rock and electronics of Destination behind. The songs are beautiful, almost haunting at times. A great record for fans of Stars of The Lid and Sigur Ros.

The Anchor Fellowship's live album is a fantastic worship record! The songs build and crescendo nicely and the re-arranged hymns are perfect. For fans of Hillsong and Jesus Culture.

I've been a huge fan of The Sleep Design's debut, All That Is Not Music Is Silence, so I was super stoked to see a new ep from the band. Kings is more post-rock perfection. The ep moves brilliantly from ambient pieces to thundering crescendos. For fans of Caspian and Saxon Shore.

And for those in the Christmas spirit, looking for some new tunes, we have Solid Rock Music's Gloria. Mostly classic Christmas hymns with a few new originals thrown in. A great record for those looking for more Christmas music.

As always, all of these records are available as free downloads at comeandlive.com.

Tiffany Thompson - One Voice

A year ago Tiffany Thompson released We Are the Dreamers, an ep that showed tremendous growth and maturity. It was fiery and passionate, sultry and biting. It was a beautiful new step for Thompson and her sound.

If Dreamers was a huge step forwards, One Voice is a step sideways. It's not a regression and its not a new step forward. One Voice is taking the maturity and confidence from We Are The Dreamers and personalizing it.  Dreamers had an attitude to it that Thompson hadn't shown before. One Voice feels more like personal reflections. It's a new level of honesty.

Take It and Run is the strongest pop hook on the record. There's some almost southern gospel about the song. Not in a bad way. Like you'd expect a choir to be backing Thompson on the chorus. Let It Break Through and Real Joy (both previously released) are two great personal spiritual tracks. It's that kind of honesty and realness that separates One Voice from Dreamers. The title track also features that deep level of realness but it's more of an anthemic song. Sundown feels less like it should have a gospel choir backing Thompson, but it has the same Over the Rhine, southern feel that Take It Run has. A nice piano driven ballad. Bed of Decision is a song from the Dreamer sessions and I'm glad this track finally sees the light of day. The album's closer, In The Distance, is also, in my opinion, the strongest track on the record! A rocking tune and with a strong chorus!

One Voice is a strong follow-up to We Are the Dreamers. It has a different feel musically, but the honesty in the lyrics is what sets this records apart and makes it stand out on it's own.

August Burns Red - Sleddin' Hill

Christmas music and heavy metal have never really gone together. And why would they? Tough, mean, brutal heavy metal with cheery, happy, fun Christmas music? It just doesn't make sense. But when August Burns Red released the brilliant version of Carol of the Bells a couple years back, followed by equally as awesome O Come O Come Emmanuel the following year, fans wanted a full-length Christmas record. And finally, the band has given us what we asked for!

Sleddin' Hill is fun! It's a whole lot of fun! Flurries, an original kicks off the record and it's a fun, rifftastic song! As a whole, Sleddin' Hill is pretty rifftastic. At times you'd imagine this is what Between The Buried and Me or Animals As Leaders would do and I love that! The band rips through one instrumental cover of classic Christmas song after another. They break from the pure instrumental sound to give a fun, almost punk version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Of course, I still think the best tracks are O Come O Come Emmanuel and Carol of the Bells but the whole album is great!

Sleddin' Hill is lots and lots of fun and just further proof of how extremely talented the ABR boys are! A great holiday record! I think even grinches who hate christmas music will enjoy this one!

Smalltown Poets - Under The New Sun

Prophets, Priests, and Kings by Smalltown Poets is a great song and when I heard it for the first, I loved it. Like most of those mid to late-90's Forefront Records alternative releases, Smalltown Poets debut became a record I would spin endlessly. I rediscovered the rest of the band's discography a couple years back and fell in love with each record.

When the band announced their return and released a Christmas record (which has a fantastic version of In The Bleak Mid Winter) I was stoked. And a year after their return with the Christmas record we have a new Smalltown Poets ep.

Under The New Sun isn't really different from the band's previous work. Oh sure, there are some new and different elements but it's still a Smalltown Poets album. The title track and album opener are the most perplexing to me. It's an instrumental piece, that's cool, but is something you wouldn't expect from Smalltown Poets and feels a little out of place on the album. It doesn't set the stage for anything experimental or prepare you for a huge shift in sound from the band. It's just... An interesting instrumental piece to open the record. Not bad... Just unexpected.

Turn Around has some spanish flair in the acoustic guitar intro before busting into a super catchy chorus. Charlie Brown's Lament is classic Smalltown Poets all the way. It's warm and familiar and a great song. Grace Is A Song is more of what fans heard on the christmas album, an indie rock side of the band. It's subtle, but it's there. Jesus, I Come the ballad of the album (there's always one) and like every track before it, and every after, has a strong hook. The Ballad Of Time and Eternity is another great rock song before the album ends with I'll Fly Away.

Smalltown Poets first official new music since their return is perfect. A mix of some subtle new elements while keep the band's classic rock sound. An ep fans will love!

The Meltdown 101

Christmas Music!!!

Matt & Toby - Matt & Toby

Side projects that involve the front-man from a band as the front-man of the side project are tricky. Even if the genre of music is something completely different, if the vocalist has a distinct voice, it's going to sound similar to people. It's not always a bad thing.

Enter Matt & Toby, the side project of Emery's front-man Toby Morrell and guitarist Matt Carter. On a shallow level, Matt & Toby's debut is an acoustic, less grand version of Emery's I'm Only a Man. But like I said, that's cheap and shallow.

Life of The Party kicks off the record and it's a fun song about having a good time. Plays In My Head, Prodigal Sons and Daughters, and Sunday Morning February 12th almost sound like an Emery b-sides. The instrumentation is different but the arrangement and lyrics sound like if you replaced the acoustic guitar with an electric, you'd have an Emery song. Take Me Oh Lord In Thy Hands is a great worshipful song. Songs like You Will Sing, Oh No, Good Boys, and Come Home are songs that, with the exception of Morrell's vocals, don't sound like they would have any place in Emery's discography, which isn't a band thing. The arrangements are perfect, soft-sproken with great melodies.

Yes, Emery fans will probably love Matt & Toby and non-Emery fans might find Matt & Toby as a gateway drug into becoming an Emery fan. But Matt & Toby is more than just Emery lite. The duo steps out from what they're comfortable with to create simple arrangements with great melodies and strong lyrics. Matt & Toby might not sound like a band taking a risk, but stepping out from Emery is a risk. And Morrell and Carter do a great job of creating something new.

Disciple - O God Save Us All

I remembering hearing My Daddy Can Whip Your Daddy by Disciple for the first time and loving it. It was a solid hard rock ep that had elements of Rage Against the Machine in it's sound. This Might Sting A Little and By God were good  and found places in my rotation but as heavier music overtook my tastes, Disciple got left behind. I've heard singles from the band and have been unimpressed. I even picked up 2010's Horseshoes & Handgrenades  but was less then stoked about it. So O God Save Us All wasn't really a record I expected much from.

O God Save Us All isn't anything special stylistically. It's a hard rock album. But as far as Disciple records go, it's my favorite record they've done since By God. Outlaws is a solid opening track, with it's fun, upbeat, anthemic chorus that sets a nice tone for the record. The title track is a hard hitting song that reminds me of old school Disciple. It's nice to hear that Kevin Young can still scream! RIP is another solid, hard hitting rock song before the ballads kick in. Once and For All doesn't do a whole lot for me. Someday has a nice build and the hook is great. Draw The Line is a little more expected but I like it. The ballads are nice but I was ready for Kings when it kicked things back up to 11. Unstoppable is a killer song and my favorite on the album. The drums and guitar riff smack you in the face with some sweet, old school Disciple!

O God Save Us All is a surprisingly enjoyable hard rock record the flashes at some old school stylings, while keeping the recent feel that fans both old and new will enjoy.

The Meltdown 100

Music from the greatest christian albums of all time.

Deftones - Koi No Yokan

As soon as I hit play on Koi No Yokan and Swerve City kicked in, I knew the new Deftones record was going to be an instant favorite of mine. The beat drops instantly and you're thrown right into the Deftones brand of melodic metal. While Diamond Eyes wasn't as atmospheric as the band's previous two outings, it's obvious from Swerve City that this record is going to be something new and different.

Romantic Dreams is a slicker/sexier riff than Swerve City and has a nice feel to it and the ambient guitar sounds show their head a little but the track has a solid hook and great movement. Abe Cunningham's grooves are as strong as ever. Leathers sneaks in, like there's some left over guitar noodling from Romantic Dreams before the song slams in and Chino's vocals come blasting through your speakers. Poltergeist sounds like an updated version of White Pony. Entombed is the first track on the record that has a similar vibe to Diamond Eyes. But it's short lived as Graphic Nature hits you with a dirty riff and a solid back beat.

Koi No Yokan is solid start to finish. Not that I expected anything different from the Deftones. I loved Diamond Eyes and honestly, I've never not loved a Deftones record. But Koi No Yokan is by far the best record they've put out since White Pony and I'd go as far to say it's the band's best record to date.

In a year with a lot of good records but nothing stellar and super attention grabbing, Koi No Yokan will make you stop what you're doing and pay attention. The Deftones have delivered if not the best, one of the best albums of 2012.

The Meltdown 99

New music from Disciple, Smalltown Poets, The OC Supertones, and Tiffany Thompson.

The OC Supertones - For The Glory

Hype is the enemy. And boy does For The Glory have some hype. The OC Supertones return is a big deal for ska fans and just older Christian music fans like myself. The Supertones were on of my first real band obsessions and having them back is awesome! But I also have to remember that outside of the band's first two albums I've never loved an album start to finish from the Supertones. So in my own head I'm battling. Should I be super stoked and amped about For the Glory and jump right in or do I hold to my reservations and be skeptical going in.

Naturally my excitement took over when I downloaded the record and gave it a spin.

All The Way Alive is a solid opening track that hits you with the horns and upbeats right away. But it's the title track that will make you get up and dance. For the Glory is an awesome, anthemic song with a strong hook that has radio hit written all over it. It's probably the best Supertones song since Resolution.  There are 3 great tracks near the end of the record. On The Down Beat, Fight On, and Pretty Little Lie are strong skacore tracks. It's the Supertones at their best.

With the good comes the less than impressive. There are a bunch of low key acoustic and rock steady tracks, which aren't bad songs. It's more a preference of what I want to hear more of. I love the anthemic, up-beat, full on skanking ska tracks. And For The Glory is missing more of those.

It's great to have new music from The Supertones and For The Glory is full of some great, fun, and extremely memorable songs. But like previous efforts from the band, there are just some moments that keep me from being completely in love with it.

Hammock - Departure Songs

There aren't many bands currently creating soundtracks so beautiful and moving as Hammock. From listening to Winter Lights on repeat while stuck in the snow, to Take a Drink from My Hands being my prayer soundtrack for months, each ambient masterpiece the band has released as found a special place in my heart.

Departure Songs is by far the band's grandest and most accomplished release, which is saying something. The two disc album is not only full of ambient masterpieces but it finds Hammock continuing to push their sound forward.

Departure Songs is a beautiful combo of all the things Hammock has done in the past. From simple ambient pieces that ebb and flow, to some of the most post-rcok sounding tracks Hammock has produced to date, there's not a flaw on this record. Each track captivating on it's own. Each vocal begging you to listen a little more carefully to catch the lyrics. There are moments, like Tape Recorder, that drive you to tear up and get emotional, as is always the case at least once per Hammock record.

(Let's Kiss) While All The Stars Are Falling Down is one of my favorite moments on the record. It's something completely different for the band, unless you count their cover of Black Metallic. A fantastic ambient, but really driving, piece with beautiful vocals that reminds me a lot of Slowdive.

Departure Songs is a beautifully perfect record.

Underoath - Anthology 1999-2012

Underoath will be no more as of January 2013. And no matter what you think of the band, their influence on the metalcore/screamo genre is undeniably huge. Anthology gives us the band's final two new recordings, as well as a nice retrospective.

Both Sunburnt and Unsound continue the progression of the band's final full-legnth, Disambiguation. But each track still points toward the band moving forward. Sunburnt feels like a track that fell in-between the cracks of Disambiguation and Lost In The Sound of Separation. It has that darker ambient vibe but being much poppier and lighter than anything that was on Disambiguation. Unsound is Paper Lung without the screaming vocals. It's the first Underoath track without any screaming vocals. Both are solid tracks.

The rest of the album is a look back at Underoath's career, newest to oldest, which includes the b-side I've Got Ten Friends and a Crowbar. I'm glad Tooth and Nail included tracks from the band's first two records on this album. And I think people could argue the tracks from each record all day (I personally would've chosen the last from Cries of the Past instead of the album's title track), it's an all in all great showcase of the band's discography.

Anthology isn't a must have for Underoath fans. You can buy the two new tracks on iTunes and it will complete your discography nicely. But for anyone looking to dive into Underoath and aren't sure where to start, Anthology is a solid look at the band's entire catalog.

The Meltdown 98

New music from Anberlin, The OC Supertones, Further Seems Forever, and As I Lay Dying.

The Meltdown 97

New music from Flyleaf and Further Seems Forever. Plus tracks from Emery and mewithoutYou.

Flyleaf - New Horizons

Announcing that Lacey Sturm was leaving Flyleaf right before the release of the band's third full-length, New Horizons, really brings a different perspective to the album name and title track. It brings an interesting perspective to listening to the album.

New Horizons might be a new chapter for Flyleaf but fans of the bands won't be disappointed with Sturm's final outing. While there are more melodic elements on New Horizons, the album is still all Flyleaf. Fire Fire has a great riff that brings the album in softly before exploding into the chorus. New Horizons was a perfect lead single. A great melody and catchy hook keep the track light and fresh, perfect for radio play. Lyrically New Horizons is about a fresh perspective and hope. No matter how bad life seems, there's always some better to come. And it's a reminder that lyrically is where Flyleaf could really miss Lacey. Her hope and faith, always coming through in every song she wrote, was the real draw and appeal of the band and is going to be a hard to replace her honesty.

There are some great ballads (Cage on the Ground, Great Love, Saving Grace) and some really nice hard hitting tracks (Call You Out, Green Hearts) that really make New Horizons a balanced record. It's a great way to close this chapter of Flyleaf. Lacey will be missed for sure but it's good to hear her voice one last time.

The Meltdown 96

New music from Further Seems Forever, Tourniquet, The Wedding, Lecrae, and Anberlin.

Further Seems Forever - Penny Black

I've been excited about a lot of reunions but Further Seems Forever might be my favorite. Hearing New Year's Project made me an instant fan. When the band released The Moon is Down, I loved it and I am one of the few lucky people who got the see FSF with Chris before he split. The band was never the same for me after he left. Jason was fine and I really liked Hide Nothing but nothing they released post The Moon is Down had quite the same impact for me.

Penny Black is 100% Further Seems Forever. I knew the album would be good after hearing So Cold but the song didn't have that classic FSF feel. But fans should fear not. Penny Black doesn't sound anything like Dashboard Confessional (who I honestly, also love). This is Further Seems Forever.

So Cold is a great opening track to the record and a great re-introduction to FSF with Chris on vocals. Rescue Trained is a great track that should put anyone's fears to rest. While I don't get the subtle, but always present, autotune on Carrabba's vocals, it doesn't hurt the song. Way Down and Kings Canyon have an aggression in Carrabba's vocals that I've never heard.

Lyrically Penny Black is about relationships but Carrabba's metaphors hide deeper meanings like they did on The Moon is Down. There's a complication to the lyrics that Dashboard Confessional is often times missing.

Penny Black is the follow-up to The Moon is Down that Further Seems Forever fans never really got. I know a lot of people loved Jason Gleason and thought he fit FSF better as a vocalist but I always loved The Moon is Down. And hearing Chris Carrabba back on lead vocals feels right.

Anberlin - Vital

Anberlin makes good records. Period. While I've not always gushed over everything the band has put out, there's no denying that the boys in Anberlin knowhow to write a great song.

While the band's last two albums might not have been fans favorites, they both showcased a polished and more mature side of Anberlin.

Vital finds a way to capture the raw rock attitude of the first three albums without giving up the polished sound. Self-Starter packs a punch with a solid groove driving the song. Little Tyrants is a more straight forward four on the floor rock and roll song. Each of the two opening tracks delivers an energy that Dark Is The Way was missing. Other Side is more electronic than anything Anberlin has done in the past. The chorus rings full and rocking but the electronics are what grab my attention. It's has a feel almost similar to some of vocalist's Stephen Christian's side project, Anchor and Braille. Someone Anyone is the gem of the album. The driving synth line melody and the catchy as all get out hook make this track unforgettable. Intentions is another groove and synth heavy track.

Innocent is the first ballad of the record and is a nice change of pace before Desires cranks things back up to 11. Type-Three is a more typical Anberlin ballad (more acoustic driven). Orpheum and Modern Age in very different ways continue the Killers-esque vibe that most the record has. God, Drugs, & Sex ends the record on an interesting note. Super spacey, the track features guest vocals from Christie DuPree and is as epic as Anberlin has ever gotten... Yet the track isn't epic in most conventional ways. 

Vital is both a return to form and something completely different for Anberlin. Maybe not the band's best record to date but without a doubt their most interesting and diverse. A great record start to finish. 

The Meltdown 95

New music from Anberlin, Propaganda, The Wedding, Lecrae, Wolves At The Gate, and more.

Onward To Olympas - Indicator

Thirds times the charm or three strikes and you're out?

That's the question I asked going into Onward to Olympas' third full-legnth. The band's previous two efforts fell flat and while I thought there was improvement on The War Within Us, I've still been waiting for something more or different from OTO.

Indicator is more miss than hit. In fact, I think it's mostly a miss. The hardcore/metal elements of Indicator are on point and it's some of the best music OTO has delivered to date. But what is lost on me are the clean vocals and how they are arranged.

Strange Forest kicks the album off on a really stellar note but then the album takes a weird turn in arrangement and the clean vocals sound out of place. Wolf's Jaw again hits hard and the clean vocals seem less out of place and odd but it's still so commonplace that it doesn't leave any impression. The transitions on each song between that parts are rough and when it's accomplished successfully (Division) it's just an ok moment.

Indicator also plays short and it actually hurts the album. While, the songs get lost on me, it's a decent background soundtrack and when it's over I'm shocked at short it is.

Onward To Olympas continues to be a band I don't get or appreciate.

Inhale Exhale - Movement

What I loved about Inhale Exhale's previous two albums (I Swear and Bury Me Alive) was the band's ability to be different from the norm. Still all metalcore but there was that intangibility about Inhale Exhale that separated them from the pack. While their peers got more recognition, Inhale Exhale seemed to hold themselves to a higher standard of creativity and musicianship.

Movement though.... Movement is missing something.

For starters, John LaRussa's riffs and writing seems different. The guitar riffs were always interesting and an integral part of the sound that made Inhale Exhale a standout. And while there are some killer riffs and interesting riffs on Movement, they're not out front in the mix and the driving force to the songs. 

The other thing is the arrangement on a couple of tracks. Aesthetics kicks off the record but it sounds clunky. Like the band isn't all playing the same song on the intro. The same is true for parts of Party Drama, where I just feel like someone has gone off on a tangent and isn't keeping in line with the rest of the band. 

Having said all that, it's not a bad record. Inhale Exhale still brings their own original twist to the metalcore genre and have put out by far the best record on Red Cord Records. 

If you're looking for a different spin on metalcore, Movement is the record to check out. But as a long time Inhale Exhale fan, the record falls a little flat for me.