Still Remains - Ceasing To Breathe

I wasn't super sad when Still Remains broke up. As much as I loved Of Love and Lunacy, The Serpent just didn't do anything for me. And if that was the direction the band was headed, than I could accept them breaking up.

But when the band announced their return, and that the line-up was the same as it was on Of Love and Lunacy, I was on board.

Ceasing To Breathe doesn't sound like Of Love and Lunacy. But it also doesn't sound like the Serpent. Ceasing To Breathe might be Still Remains heaviest work to date. But it still has the classic metalcore elements that the band was known for.

The riff that opens up the record on Bare Your Teeth is excellent and TJ Miller's vocals are vicious, showing off more range than he's ever had! Crone comes busting in as soon as Bare Your Teeth keeping the intensity up. The hook is more 'pop" than Bare Your Teeth's, but it's in the same vein that the hooks on Of Love and Lunacy were pop. Commercial friendly if you will. Beacon is more of a ballady metalcore song with a great melodic guitar riff driving the hook. Close To The Grave has a thrashy/punkness that's great.

From the album's opener to Bitter Shroud Repentance's closing note, Ceasing To Breathe is a heavy hitting record. No downers, no slow moments, no breaks. Still Remains has come back from the dead and are heavier than they've ever been. Ceasing to Breathe is a vicious record. Well worth the wait.