Album Rating: 3.3

ATTA, I don't mind the transition interludes... Unsure they add a great deal to the album itself, but they're well done.



Never say die JWT.



Was wondering what you thought of this Snide. You seem to be taking the middle ground like myself.

Album Rating: 3.3

Kinda not what I meant... I actually thought you may have liked this a lot more than a 3.5. It probably comes down to the "on substance" issue. Some will think it's not low, especially for what is basically a pop album.

Damn Davey you've been really active lately.

Album Rating: 3.3

It's either a drought or a flood with me. I'm expecting another drought early next year... Well, at least in terms of reviewing, anyway.

DaveyBoy, you are definitely my favorite staff reviewer on this site.

Album Rating: 3.5

This is the first album by these guys I've heard, I'm enjoying it so far musically (despite the borderline plagiarism)...if anything this singer is my main complaint. Is this dude really pretentious in real life? cause his vocal performance somehow gives me that idea...as strange as that may sound.

Album Rating: 3.3

Why thank-you Wilhelm... Although, I thought you hated all of us.



Unsure Mutant. He's talented, for sure. I think he may know it, but I guess he's just trying to give the pop world something different that they haven't heard... for 20 years or so.

Marianas Stench Trench. Don't fuck with the Goonies you fools, album is useless.

Album Rating: 3.3

A young Samwise getting his revenge.

"Is this dude really pretentious in real life? cause his vocal performance somehow gives me that idea...as strange as that may sound."

The whole band are massive douchers. I used to work at a restaurant where these guys would come in routinely when touring through town. Generally behaved like their shit didn't stink.

Album Rating: 3.3

Not good to hear. Although, if it was a while back, we can hope they've matured.

Album Rating: 3.5

I will say, I enjoy "who do you love" a lot, the synthesized harmonies are pretty sweet with some good headphones on. the singer's talented for sure, I just feel his constant high pitched vocals/screaming are unnecessary at times

Album Rating: 3.3

The term "synthesized harmonies" just sounds wrong, doesn't it?

ahah. somewhat yes.

Album Rating: 3.5

It does sound wrong lol but it was the best way I could describe it, I doubt the low notes were made naturally

Album Rating: 3.3

Haha. Totally knew what you meant. That's why I think it'd be interesting to see them live.

Album Rating: 4.0

Ever After and Masterpiece Theatre very quickly climbed up the list of my favorite albums ever after hearing them for the first time last winter.

That said, I immediately flocked to listen to this on Spotify the very first day it was out.



I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it yet but here's what I have so far:

It's NOT AS GOOD as Ever After and Masterpiece Theatre (I can't decide which one is better out of those two), but its still a very good album.



The pros are that Marianas Trench continue to not be stale; Every set of songs they release doesn't sound the same.

Fix Me doesn't exactly sound like Masterpiece Theatre, which doesn't sound too much like Ever After, which doesn't sound too much like Pop 101/Here's to the Zeroes, which doesn't sound completely like Astoria. Every record has the features of all of MT's style but every record also has a signature sound which you don't see in the other records. So I really like that even though they've been progressively moving away from Pop Punk and into the realm of Pop, they don't sound like a lot of other Pop bands out there (atleast I think... you could liken them to Fun. but that's a different story).

I guess I also like seeing the archetypal tracks coming back (Metallica does something similar to this). From the epic guitar chord driven intro/overture (Masterpiece Theatre I, Ever After, Astoria), to the signature near-the-finish piano medley (Lover Dearest, So Soon, Forget Me Not), to the awesome finisher/reverse overture that brings everything together (Masterpiece Theatre III, No Place Like Home, End of an Era). I was listening to End of an Era and just getting all giddy at the references to all the past songs and albums (the recurring melodies from the past two albums came back) and it was really fucking cool; I love how MT does that. The references in Dearly Departed are also really good:

Album Rating: 4.0

"Every masterpiece I'd write again

You'll always be my porcelain

I crossed my heart

But I stuttered too

So truth or dare

Was I good to you

Haven't had enough of you all to myself

Still right beside you

In sickness and health

For ever after

You will be my home

And there's no place like home"



The cons: I don't connect with all the individual songs on the album like I did in past albums. Ever After and Masterpiece Theatre are a few of the only albums that I've ever listened where I like almost every track individually and have them on rotation (well, except for maybe Good To You). This was a big negative.

Also not a fan of how many transition tracks there were; they're not a bad idea but I wish they were more included into the actual songs. MT could do what Linkin Park did with A Thousand Suns and have a bonus track which is the whole album played continuously so it flows like a movie (since this is what Josh wanted anyway).



+1 For MT having a sense of humor and creating a track called August Burns Red even if it was only transitional.

Album Rating: 4.0

Since my shit was too long for one comment.

Album Rating: 3.5

It's funny that you mention the lack of connection cause I've had a shitty week and this album is connecting with me because of the week I've had lol. I've had this on repeat for a few days and I just know I'm gonna be associating memories with this album.