Review Summary: Further proof that Italians can do metalcore right.
I stumbled upon The Avalanche Diaries one late Monday night on the BryanStars YouTube page. The song "Worthy To Me" was a music video. Being the open minded person I am, I decided to give it a shot. The music video was pretty meh. The song however was incredible. Needless to say, the first thing I did that next morning was download their full length. It is without a doubt one of the best metalcore records I've heard in a long time. Now let me just make it clear, the album contains nothing that hasn't been done before. What makes the record so great is how well everything is done. From the amazing clean vocals to the solos (Yes, a metalcore band that actually uses them!) this album is all around a great listen.
It begins with "Enough to Break the Ice" which is pretty much a breakdown laden intro with some sweeps. These have gotten to be standard issue on the vast majority of metalcore debuts. Relatively long for an intro, this track clocks in at 1:40. The next track is "Overlap Each Other" which begins with-you guessed it!- another breakdown. What makes it unique though, is that a computerized voice says "Welcome to The Avalanche Diaries' Breakdown Tutorial." From there it builds the instruments onto each other, beginning with the kick, to construct a very fast paced and crushing breakdown, which are the kind that I like. I found that part rather enjoyable. It's very hard to describe through a review so if you're curious, look up the song on Youtube.
The most talented member of the band by far is the clean vocalist. He has an amazing range, and doesn't use a ridiculous little girl-esque tone. Nope, this vocalist actually has a pair. Songs like "Worthy To Me" and "Genie In A Bottle" which is a very well done cover of the Christina Aguilera song, showcase his vocals very well. on "Rebirth", which is a ballad, he gets the entire song to himself and it is where his voice shines. The screams however, are more of a hit and miss on the album. The vocalist has very good mids, and decent growls, but his high screams sound like they're tearing the piss out of his throat. It's sometimes almost painful. Thankfully, he doesnt use high screams very much throughout the album, so it's more bearable when he does.
There are actually more solos than boring breakdowns on this album, which may be a plus to some. I was very surprised when I hear the solo on "Gehenna". My first thought was "Am I listening to the same band?" Which is a reasonable thought because very few metalcore bands still use solos. They aren't half-assed sweeps either, they are actual solos. Avery welcome surprise that the record holds for its listeners.
All in all, The Avalanche Diaries have put together a great debut. This is definitely an album that I could listen to over and over again. If fact, I have. It never gets old. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen. It may surprise you.
