Review Summary: They do it better than the rest
In the world of post-hardcore, much like pop punk, there are no new advancements. Every other band rips off and copies the next one, and all ideas will eventually become rehashed, redone, and beaten like a dead horse. With bands in the genre these days, there are a few of things needed to stand out above the crowd. First, You need to be able to not only turn a phrase, musically and lyrically, but be able to be catchy enough for people to keep coming back for more. Second, you need to not be too immediate, or too difficult to listen to, as both extremes tend to become old really quickly. Third is to honestly be happy with what you create, and have fun with the music. Take yourself too seriously, and people will write you off as contrived and pretentious (Looking at you Ronnie Radke).
With Incredible' Me, their songs break no new ground. However, well written fun and enjoyable music doesn't need to be. For a debut album, they do surprisingly well, most of the time hitting, rather than missing. Incredible know they aren't reinventing the wheel, so they don't try to. They, much like A Day to Remember, sound like they are genuinely having fun playing the music that they themselves want to hear. Danceable second track 'Sexy Out Loud' and crushing lead single 'Divine Departure' display their attitude towards their music perfectly. When a band has fun with their music, it tends to come out more naturally and honestly, and not sound forced or manufactured. Standout track 'Incredible' Monster' is an example of this, having a cohesion where the band members operate as one whole unit, rather than individual musicians taking turns stealing the show.
Unfortunately, like many post-hardcore/metalcore groups, the band is not beyond the problems typical of the of the genre. Ridiculously catchy sung chorus, with breakdown laden verses is the formula of the album. Each song has the scream, sing, scream, sing, technique most bands in the genre use. As a result, the album becomes a metalcore blur with the differences between songs becoming difficult to determine if listened to from front to back. While the album as a whole is relatively solid, It is better to hear each song individually or while you have your playlist on shuffle.
Vocally, the band has some talent, and the vocalists start off their career on a solid foot. The uncleans vocals are powerful, throaty, and understandable, but boring and unvaried. The vocal star here are the chords of the singer, sounding like a cross between Danny Worsnop's cock rock and Tyler Carter's soulful hip hop. On paper, that may sound like a really bad thing, but surprisingly, it works. The lyrics are decent enough, with immature lines like "we're on top of the world" from 'Call Trevor' littered throughout. They are easily ignored, when the hooks from choruses of like those from "Untouchable" and "Moments from Melodies" have hooks that ingrain into the brain, and will have you humming them for the next week.
One of the worst things about the record is the production quality, as the rhythm guitar, bass, and keyboards blend together becoming a big pile of mush. However, the Lead guitar is able to pull itself out and is distinguishable throughout the album, providing some fantastic bits in 'Incredible Monster' and 'Where Dreams Are Born, & Time Is Never Planned', sounding very much like the guitarist from Of Machines stepped in and took over! The drumming on the record is also top notch, with intelligent and fun fills throughout, and is overall extremely enjoyable to listen too.
With a band as young as they are Incredible' Me are simply incredible; their task was to send you on a fun trip through their blend on post-hardcore and metal core. They don't bring anything new to the table, But they don't need to. They are extremely successful in their goal, and they complete it with flying colors, not once becoming overbearing or unlistenable, despite being a little generic. It's evident that these kids have incredible' talent, and it's going to be interesting watching their inevitable rise to the top ranks of the genre, and to see how they progress from here.
