Review Summary: This album does deathcore with a twist, making the breakdowns not sound like breakdowns. The verse riffs are original, and blast you away. Though don't be fooled by the flaws that lie beneath.
although most don't feel the same way, i see little changes in details that nobody else has thought of that As Blood Runs Black has made to create Allegiance. it seems everybody raps on them for having too many breakdowns, but they all don't see the creativity behind it all. the drums and vocals particularly are what really change it, though the strings do help as well. little touches like the bass drum having it's own separate part in the break, or just what the vocalist does in any of the breaks throughout the album are definitely different at least. the lyrics are very empowering. i also have taken a strong liking to the way the guitars are distorted on this album- loud and sharp, piercing your mind with their arrows.
except there are still flaws.
in particular, the lack of dynamics is something to be desired. in this album there are only two- loud and silent. yes, i know this is deathcore, and it's meant to be loud loud loud, but a little effort to add other feelings besides "ROAR!" is always appreciated. Pouring Reign takes a great shot at this, and finds a good soft side...i just wish the band could have found some way to incorporate that sound into other songs. Maybe get a deathcore ballad going on, you know? something definitely to keep eyes peeled for.
Intro: a harsh wall of sound to get you started on the album that leads into a breakdown that uses blinding seizures of rhythm (rather than chugs). no vocals, no need for them. drums basically do a speed test until the break. transition to the break is clean and smooth- well placed. definitely one of my favorite tracks on here, though it is short.
In Dying Days: good start, minus the horrid bass-boom sound that every other deathcore and metalcore have already used. followed by catchy technical riff for the verse. digging the double lead guitar action.vocal pitches flow well and are done right. goes to a break eventually, kinda goes to it a little too fast and it's a little too short. that then leads to vocal solo and then a drum solo to go to an even slower break. these 2 breaks in a row aren't my fav part, but the energy is there at least. ok, then it goes to verse riff again. then a variation of that riff- which sounds very strong. good riff to end the song with. vocals always strong and correct.
My Fears Have Become Phobias: (this was definitely a good pick for a single) good blend over from the previous track goes into catchiest verse riff on the album. the drums for this riff fly all over the place and are easily some of the most complex i've heard with many accents and long, flowing rolls. next is a breakdown. it's generic at first until the bass drum decides to jog it's on way while the guitars do the same stuff they were. the vocals become gang vocals, a welcome surprise for deathcore. it goes into a secondary verse riff, then another riff for a short time, then comes the guitar solo. well written, but it needed better distortion. then another break. a good rhythm for it. another pause-start transition, more verse, pause-start transition, final verse, and then the highlight of the song. the the breakdown with the rapid double bass part. not the fastest, but pretty darn close. ends with repeat of an old bd in this song.
Hester Prynne: not too much to say on this one. flows similar to the last two. intro riff is great, but otherwise it's more of what you've heard so far with more squeals from the guitars. nice to hear a blast beat from the drums. vocals have an all-time low pitch in a breakdown on here as well. the last bd is the perfect showcase of how their breakdowns are new- it's the idea of chugging in fast-forward. don't do 3 notes, do 9 in the same spot.
Pouring Reign: good soft side, though as said before this sound should have been used in tangent with heavier tracks. bass part is a plus, many high-string notes to to make it the opposite of boring. no drums, no vocals. interesting listen for sure.
The Brighter Side of Suffering: beginning feels like Phobias all over again with the drums. riff is entertaining, not amazing. again, the bass drum exercises it's original-styled freedoms in breakdowns. also, the vocals hit a new high a couple times, but they sound mechanical when they do, edited. not sure if they are in this track for that brief spot. another solo with the horrid distortion, still needs better pedal setting for that. i will give it that it is original. more gang vocals later :) then it ends with one breakdown riff.
The Beautiful Mistake: vocals have a good word before the instruments kick in. instrumental part of the intro is a stand out. verse riff sounds old at first until a point where the beat changes. from there to the breakdown is all very good. the breakdown sounds like a classic breakdown, which after all of the original ones sounds like it's really good too, only its very short. another verse with a guitar solo butting in later with everything. then vocals stop to let the solo come out. (still don't like the distortion of the solo) after the end of the solo, it's all really good. the breakdown doesn't even sound like one, it's more like a transition (especially considering length). final verse is great as well. more ABRB technical goodness.
Strife (Chug Chug): nothing very special here either. only thing is the record for most breakdowning in one song on the album, and unfortunately they do the boring kind very often, barely adding any flashy tricks to keep it interesting. from about 37 seconds left to the end is a bit of magic. a good mainstream metal riff plus gang vocals again. least favorite track on the album for me, however.
Beneath the Surface: yay! blastbeat! can't get enough of that. good way for the vocals to enter with the one crescendo on the entire album. this is the one track with a somewhat bland first verse as well. breakdown is ok. then after that, there's a lot of magic. everything blows apart- from a really speedy beat to a doom-metal riff to a great vocal section. then then then not-bland-anymore riff returns to help finish the song....until a pause-start transition happens that goes into a fade-out bd that should have been at the end of the album. but instead, one last bit of magic happens...
Legends Never Die: amazing ending. touches old points and makes many new points. ends by seeming to fall apart like a moving train with loosened screws. ties with Phobias for best song.
So overall, ABRB is definitely a good addition to the deathcore world. they show that there are more ways to do a breakdown, and also what you can do with two lead guitars, a bass drum with a mind of it's own, a bass guitar that sounds like it's straining under it's own power, and somebody who knows how to tell you how f***ed up our world is. although they aren't always very entertaining, they still make very good points and keep it from getting too boring (except for chug chug).
