Review Summary: Ultra high quality production, lots of energy, solid songwriting and a band going through the motions with little variation.
Rise to Fall are a melodic metalcore band that is here with a whopping 14 track release: "End vs. Beginning". It's really 15 tracks but one is just the beginning of another real track and is 18 seconds long. After sampling their other albums it is clear the band's sound hasn't changed much. They are a band that does the same thing in every song: screamed verses, sung choruses, short and unrisky bridges. It should be noted that aside from a few standouts all the choruses between songs sound remarkably similar. They seem to be tapped in to the much maligned Vengeance Falls by Trivium sound. Here Rise to Fall do seem to care more and try harder than Trivium did, but that mundaneness is present.
This album is produced masterfully. There are two to three guitar layers at all times, multiple electronic elements, and multiple vocal tracks often all at once. The sound is tight and punchy and everything is distinct and pops through the mix while still creating a nice blend. The production is a big step up from the band's previous works and is probably the aspect that has changed most about the band. This may have possibly backfired however as the production creates a static and unemotional sound that is almost too clean.
The other big problem is that the songs are just so similar and ultimately not creative enough. Look at Disarmonia Mundi's release that is also new this month. It is rather generic, but the songwriting is still thoughtful and each song is either a little, or vastly different in terms of song structure and some different composition elements. On "End vs. Beginning" every track follows just about the exact same formula. I mean EXACTLY the same. This is a group that isn't interested in creating interesting individual moments, rather they just write overall very good, but bland material. Guitar parts are layered and prominent but aside from great riffs scattered throughout the album and some guitar solos that show up in a few tracks, they don't stick with you like they could. A compliment to the album is that one may be rather interested no matter what track they hear first. The problem is that the more you here the more it becomes evident nothing new is happening. The choruses are the main offenders, and this is coming from someone who likes the clean sung metal chorus. I have experience in an album growing in enjoyment the more you hear it as you start to become acquainted with the material and understand more the overall vision of band. Here the opposite happens, as the more you hear the less interesting it becomes.
There are a few standout songs and at least half the tracks have some kick ass moments. "Plastic Scene" has a couple great riffs but a lame chorus. "The Refuge" has a chorus that actually sounds sincere and emotional but the song has some of the most boring instrumentation. The album's strongest stretch is tracks 6, 7, and 8. These ones have some relatively consistent great parts and some relatively interesting phrasing in the vocals. "Murk Empire" and the last track "Sustention" are the only places they dabble in some clean and atmospheric guitar sections. It was a nice change of pace and shows they are capable of changing things up.
If the band kept the stronger tracks and had a bit of a different look on other tracks, the formulaic tracks would stick out and have more impact. As it stands, the album is never really "bad". It's technically good, and serves as symbol of how great metal can be produced. The production, songwriting, and performances go hand in hand. They are well done and hard to argue with but are uninteresting. All in all, it can be recommended for a listen for fans of the genre. The band did a great job creating solid material that would be great live. I could best describe this album as quality music going through the motions.
