Review Summary: Emotive, energetic, and infectious.
Growing up, your parents usually tell you to lay off frequent video game play, citing the creation of hand eye coordination as a miniscule benefit. I only dismissed their disdain for one reason; I was a proponent of the idea that certain video games could leave a lasting appeal on you, the likes of which were absent from other forms of media. This was never truer to me before I played Tony Hawk's Project 8. An avid skateboarder, that game was my one way ticket to peace when I'd get out of school, but it wasn't just the game that gave me pleasure. It was the soundtrack, and whenever Monty Are I's "In this Legacy" came on, I'd crank it up full volume, not a care in the world. I loved the song so much, I decided this group was worth checking out, and alas, my immense love for their discography was born.
Fast forward to the present day, and their 2006 masterpiece Wall of People remains a mainstay on my phone in its entirety. Never in my life had I tackled such a well thought out and carefully crafted flurry of symphonic post hardcore/pop punk/what have you before I came across this group. Every note from lead guitarist Ryan Muir calculated. Every lyric drawn from lead vocalist Stephen Aiello knocked out of the park, and every song off this record a guilty pleasure I will forever enjoy. "In This Legacy" opens with a harmonious keyboard interlude, just seconds before the guitars and drums come in, sending this track into the stratosphere. "Castle Bound" opens with an electronically substantive composition, giving the rest of the album traces of flirting with reggae.
Even if you're not a fan of music that milks the synths like a cow, you'll still manage to appreciate their presence throughout the album. "Island City" brings them in to superlative effect, and Aiello attacks the track with enough precision and emotive confidence you will find yourself rewarding the track a few more spins before finally sinking your teeth into the remainder of the album. "Metropolis" marks a vicious return of the post-hardcore influenced composition, fitting in so seamlessly, it's like it never left.
"Tie Off Your Veins" opens with a tuba-led structure, transitioning to the lead guitar, while Aiello soars and drummer Ryan Muir keeps the pace steady with his drumming. "Only the Weak", the album's closing track, showcases Aiello's vocals from the get-go. "Anchor and Hope", in crafty fashion, infuses the synths with the keyboard, creating a cohesive structure this band can proudly call their own.
The nostalgia of "In this Legacy" and my overall passion for punk and post hardcore might be a bit of a factor as to why I enjoy this record so immensely, but I'm not complaining. If you like their contemporaries, you'll LOVE this group. Quality composition where each member of the band uses every part of the buffalo, giving you everything but the kitchen sink, and enticing you to listen to every last bit of the discography that makes up their now defunct career. Again, this album and these songs take me back, and remain a fixture with me, and for good reason.
