Haste the Day
Dreamer


3.0
good

Review

by bustyagunz USER (30 Reviews)
October 10th, 2008 | 118 replies


Release Date: 2008 | Tracklist

Review Summary: While Dreamer will keep fanboys more than content, it does little to improve on Haste the Day's rather generic formula of the past.

Haste the DayDreamer

Metalcore (Christian metalcore in particular) has been a guilty pleasure of mine for quite some time now. Individual songs can be excellent, but spinning through an entire CD can be arduous. With the rise in popularity of the breakdown came a significant drop in the quality of the instrumentals overall, and the mainstream population keeps it that way. The music all sounds generic and the same because it sells, and with the addition of some radio friendly choruses, those yet to scrape the surface of the more experimental forms of metal and hardcore are more than satisfied jumping around and banging their heads to some mediocre at best record. This isn’t to assume that all metalcore is bland, as anomalies such as Converge and Between the Buried and Me have done the genre plenty of justice in the past by fiddling around with different characteristics not often displayed in metalcore. Haste the Day is not one of the few anomalies. They hopped on the metalcore train just as it was picking up steam, and fronted by the ludicrously energetic and emotional Jimmy Ryan, they reached popularity and mainstream status rather quickly. Nothing stands out about them instrumentally though, and with one year under new vocalist Stephen Keech’s belt, many hoped their 2008 release Dreamer would be their best yet. It’s good, and at times great, but it is still plagued by lackluster instrumentals and overall monotony.

The lack of anything different from previous records on Dreamer is thoroughly disappointing. The guitar riffs are melodic but simplistic as they always have been, and similar to every Haste the Day recording since Burning Bridges, there are a few breakdowns, but not an excess of them. I’ll throw out my honest opinion and say that the short break near the end of 68 is pretty sweet, as well as a few more scattered throughout the disc. Invoke Reform may sport a Guinness World Records candidate for shortest guitar solo, and to my dismay, the band really didn’t try to incorporate solos into their music this time around. Devin Chaulk’s drumming is possibly tighter than ever, and his fills are smooth and frequent, but they often are and/or sound recycled many times over the course of a song. Lastly, while one may absolutely love a song while listening to it, the moment it is over, it’s in the past. There are rarely moments that will get cemented in your head and will warrant a tap of the rewind button, unless of course you’re a die hard fanboy of the band or genre. Nothing is going to stop you from doing so under those circumstances.

Essentially, for many of the positives on this album, there are apparent flaws. A few manage to squeak away before Haste the Day blow them over as well, namely the vocals and the five or six standout tracks. Stephen Keech employs a much more, say, demonic scream, for lack of a better word. It adds a reasonable amount of emotion to the music, and all of the choruses are sung rather well by the rest of the band. The vocals are possibly the highlight, as they at least supply Dreamer with catchy entertainment value. I find the decision to place three calmer tracks (particularly the re-recording of the acoustic track Autumn) at the end of the album a rather good one, as they provide an excellent contrast to the brutality of the first three. Tossing them sporadically throughout the album, and again ending with Autumn, might have worked a bit better though, chopping down on some of the tedium of this album.

It is hard to give Dreamer a great score. The slight progression Haste the Day made is so minimal it doesn’t make a difference, and this album is so drenched in sameness it’ll be a good month before I can recognize each track by ear. There are about five tracks that are certainly keepers though, and nothing will make one’s ears bleed. For what it is, a metalcore album, Dreamer is satisfying, but it’s about time they shifted up their style.

Justin’s Top Three:
68
Sons of the Fallen Nation
Haunting

Score:
3/5



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user ratings (533)
3.2
good
other reviews of this album
smokersandchildren (4.5)
If you have any interest in metalcore music, Dreamer is for you....

daguitarmaster (4)
Very Good album, and strong throughout. Missing Something though......



Comments:Add a Comment 
bustyagunz
October 11th 2008


911 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Streaming here:

http://fuse.tv/music/the-worm/haste-the-day.html

If Haste the Day releases another album like this, I'm gonna cry, and give it a 1.

Shoot Them
October 11th 2008


81 Comments


Good review, but i guess it reads more like a 3 if you want me to complain about something.

bustyagunz
October 11th 2008


911 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

yea, and i was gonna give it a 3, stuck in the middle, i just decided 3.5 because there are a few more good songs than the ones i mentioned, and they do switch it up in the end

my rating will probably be a 3 in a week or two



Edit: Meh, I'm gonna pop it down right now, seeing the average rating for this at 3.9 isn't right. Burning Bridges could be a 4. This, is not.This Message Edited On 10.10.08

BallsToTheWall
October 11th 2008


51592 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

I prefer old HTD but the last couple albums werent bad, except for Stitches. Band needs to make another American Love. But yeah, good review.This Message Edited On 10.10.08

Otisbum
October 11th 2008


1913 Comments


Had no idea they were coming out with an album this year. When Everything Falls was a guilty pleasure back in the day. It's a shame they haven't improved much at all.

bustyagunz
October 11th 2008


911 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

I NEVA SHOULDA LETCHOO GO!!!!!!!PROMISE MEEEEEEE

YOU'LL STAY WITH ME FOREVERRRRRR, FOREVAAAAAAAAAUUUHAUHHHH!!!!!

Yazz_Flute
October 11th 2008


19174 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I think i'm one of the other people who preffered Pressure the Hinges to their first two albums. Burning Bridges was very good though, When everything Falls was ok.

bustyagunz
October 11th 2008


911 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

id rank em

Burning Bridges, Pressure the Hinges, This, and then When Everything Falls. WEF was kinda poopy imo

marksellsuswallets
October 11th 2008


4884 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

I was working on a slightly harsher review than this one earlier today but I decided to finish my ISMFOF review first...really can't listen to this album at all its so terribly generic...kinda gave up on the band after the last album and this didn't to anything to change that



And to me When Everything Falls was their best hahaThis Message Edited On 10.10.08

Otisbum
October 11th 2008


1913 Comments


I listened to WEF in my "I love poopy music" phase, so that's probably why I'm so attached.

PTH had a few great songs, but I don't really like the new vocalist.

marksellsuswallets
October 11th 2008


4884 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Yeah they lost the only thing that made them unique with their old vocalist IMO...

bustyagunz
October 11th 2008


911 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

very true, wallets and otisbum, but i actually love keech

didnt jimmy ryan release a really good album this year or something?

Otisbum
October 11th 2008


1913 Comments


Apparently Jimmy's in a band called Trenches now.

http://www.myspace.com/trenchesofficial

Checking it out right now.

Otisbum
October 11th 2008


1913 Comments


Yep, and we've got a review on the site. Man, I suck at keeping track of bands.

bustyagunz
October 11th 2008


911 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

yea ill get to them after some b ball, pace mates

BallsToTheWall
October 11th 2008


51592 Comments

Album Rating: 1.5

Some bands can get away with keeping it simple and safe, hence Caliban and HTD. I probaly wont need to get this, i'm sure a few or several of my pals will already have this.

marksellsuswallets
October 11th 2008


4884 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Oh yeah Trenches' album is quite possibly the best post-metal(ish) album ever...ok maybe not ever but its really freaking good...you should check it out yoThis Message Edited On 10.10.08

Otisbum
October 11th 2008


1913 Comments


Listened to the songs on MySpace and they were really good.

I never find myself getting into any post___ genre aside from post hardcore. It's like a disease.

Golgoroth
October 11th 2008


1084 Comments


What's with all the hate? After listening to the stream I'm predicting a 4 from me...

Although I really like Keech so I can understand why people who don't like his vocals wouldn't like this.

Otisbum
October 11th 2008


1913 Comments


I'll give this a listen after I pull PTH out again. I'm starting to like it a bit more with the songs on Purevolume.



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