Every Time I Die
Gutter Phenomenon


4.0
excellent

Review

by Brendan Schroer STAFF
February 10th, 2022 | 23 replies


Release Date: 2005 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Gutter Phenomenon is an excellent synthesis of the expected and the unexpected.

Chapter III: Branching Out

After an experience as explosive as Hot Damn!, I suppose it was inevitable that Every Time I Die would start expanding their sound a bit with the followup album. While retaining much of the same musical DNA found in the band’s previous records, Gutter Phenomenon sees them treading upon more melodic and anthemic territory. Elements of southern rock and classic rock have now started making their way into the group’s signature sound, as Keith Buckley’s clean and screamed vocals are delivered more equally than ever. For many metalcore outfits, this would usually be regarded as a sellout move; however, the way Gutter Phenomenon juggles its contrasts makes for a compelling and even fascinating record.

Prior to the recording of the album, the members of Every Time I Die looked back at their previous releases and started contemplating ways that they could branch out their sound for the next project. In the end, it seemed like the best way to move forward was to look backwards; that is to say that they began wondering if classic rock had any possible place in hardcore or metalcore. However, if the brutality of opener “Apocalypse Now and Then” is any indication, it’s pretty clear that they weren’t going to fully abandon their roots; instead Gutter Phenomenon is the result of merging disparate styles together while still being surprisingly consistent and cohesive. In any case, the variety found on the record is highly welcome. On top of the melodic clean singing that adds a new dimension to Buckley’s voice, the instrumental passages are given much more diversity in both arrangement and performance. Guitarists Andy Williams and Jordan Buckley have greatly expanded their roles here, such as on the catchy-yet-unsettling leads on “The New Black” or the manic tremolo picking on “L’astronaut”. Of course, they don’t completely digress from what made them such staples in the metalcore world to begin with; there are still plenty of heavy-as-fuck breakdowns and angular riffs that make their way onto the album as usual. But it’s nice hearing the duo fusing other sounds into their preexisting style. Add the stellar drumming from Mike Novak on top of all this, and the lineup is in fantastic form on Gutter Phenomenon.

One of the most impressive traits of Every Time I Die is that they always managed to evolve their sound step-by-step without ever abandoning their roots along the way. Any stylistic shift that seemed poised to alienate listeners was always met with thick slabs of metalcore bliss to assure their fanbase that they hadn’t lost the plot. It’s difficult to walk that artistic tightrope, but Every Time I Die pull it off near-effortlessly; “Kill the Music” (featuring Gerard Way!) and “Pretty Dirty” may have their share of melody and accessibility in their clean-sung moments, but such moments are still accompanied by the same off-kilter riffs and intense screams that we’ve come to expect by the band. In other words, Gutter Phenomenon is an excellent synthesis of the expected and the unexpected. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Hot Damn! - largely due to lacking the same pure, visceral thrill of that record - it still manages to be another solid entry in the band’s discography. Don’t let the clean vocals and accessible moments deter or fool you: this is still an Every Time I Die album in every sense of the word, and it’s a damn good one.



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Comments:Add a Comment 
Koris
Staff Reviewer
February 10th 2022


21957 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Good stuff by this band as usual :]

SteakByrnes
February 10th 2022


30382 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

ded band lol

Cormano
February 10th 2022


4255 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

hey there ladies



I'M A CUNT

Cormano
February 10th 2022


4255 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Easy Tiger goes stupid hard on the riff department and it's one of their most underrated tracks

Koris
Staff Reviewer
February 10th 2022


21957 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

@Steak: Yeah, I know :[



Also, I have a really special review planned for my 200th... so get ready for that, everyone ;]

Purpl3Spartan
February 10th 2022


8992 Comments


K

Koris
Staff Reviewer
February 10th 2022


21957 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

kek

Teal
February 10th 2022


613 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I feel like this album and New Junk Aesthetic are underrated in the ETID discography. Hot Damn! got me into the band, but I fell in love with ETID once GP dropped. "Bored Stiff", "Champing at the Bit", "Guitarred and Feather", and "Pretty Dirty" are classics in my opinion. Nice write-up!

deathofasalesman
February 10th 2022


8641 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

awesome review, dude. this and your hot damn! review are top notch.



it's sad you unintentionally got into this band at their end, but it's as good a time as ever to revisit their catalog

Koris
Staff Reviewer
February 10th 2022


21957 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks guys! Yeah, so far this discog has been rewarding as hell despite their breakup. I haven't even listened to any of their later albums yet because I want every album of theirs to be a fresh experience, so I can't wait to get to stuff like Low Teens and Radical

Emim
February 10th 2022


36054 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I've tried several times, but this band just doesn't do it for me. Decent but not nearly how they get hyped most places.

Veldin
February 11th 2022


5408 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Enjoying these reviews of their discog. Cheers!

Koris
Staff Reviewer
February 11th 2022


21957 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

@Emim: that's fair, I can see how they wouldn't be for everyone. A 3.5 is still pretty high though ;]



@Veldin: Thank you! I'll try and pick up the pace a little bit with the discog review since I still have 6 more albums to go, but it's been enjoyable so far

RogueNine
February 11th 2022


5676 Comments


DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM

AlexKzillion
February 11th 2022


17954 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

its you and meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee



for the fiiiiiiiiirst tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime



in historyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy were historyyyyyyyyyyyyy

deathofasalesman
February 11th 2022


8641 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

took me forever to realize that was daryl palumbo

Muppelope
February 12th 2022


2077 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

That... Makes so much sense.

trilo
April 4th 2024


6613 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

keith chorus of kill the music > gerard way



that is all

NudeTayne
May 5th 2024


1097 Comments


"keith chorus of kill the music > gerard way"

dude I literally came to this thread to express the same exact thing, I wish to FUCK it was somewhere in high quality rather than Youtube

Wildcardbitchesss
May 5th 2024


13732 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

“ I feel like this album and New Junk Aesthetic are underrated in the ETID discography.”



New Junk is legit my second favorite record by these guys. Real shame Keith has mentioned that he doesn’t fuck with it because I think it’s incredible.



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