Review Summary: Still going strong after all these years.
For a band to be making music and remain active after ten plus years, it’s nothing short of an accomplishment. However, within those many years, usually something goes wrong in the bands career. The band could go through numerous line-up changes, have a string of bad releases, or even just not really care anymore about making music. For metalcore/hardcore band Every Time I Die, they have basically done just the opposite. Through each one of their releases they have only gotten better and helped to mature their sound to what it is today. Their 7th studio album, “From Parts Unknown” is no exception and is once again another consistent release within their discography.
The album begins with “The Great Secret” which is a fierce opener containing an onslaught of riffs and a balls to the wall breakdown. The album follows a similar path throughout the record with most songs featuring exactly what the opener had. “Exometrium” and “Decayin’ with the Boys” focus more on a building song structure unlike the more chaotic nature of the rest of this album. Out of left field comes “Moor” a track that I would never have expected from ETID. Beginning with an eerie piano lead and Keith’s soft-spoken clean vocals backing it up. It doesn’t take long for the song to build-up into a glimpse of hell with Keith going absolutely mental behind pummeling guitar leads. “Moor” really stands out as the albums main experimental piece but unfortunately; it’s really the only one.
“From Parts Unknown” is signature Every Time I Die with fast chaotic riffs being thrown at the listener left and right. This is all welcoming but now it’s beginning to sound all too familiar anymore. Some of these tracks feel even as if they were rehashed from their second album, “Hot Damn” just with better production tacked on. The songs start to even blend into one another during the second half making it hard to really feel a connection. I would have liked to see a little more experimentation from these guys considering how successful “Moor” turned out to be. I can admit they tried with the track “Old Light” but Brian Fallon (vocalist of Gaslight Anthem) did not fit the track at all and the chorus suffered due to it being downplayed to fit Brian. Keith sounds ferocious on this record and easily gives another hell of a performance but lyrically I think he’s lost a step. He doesn’t seem to be as focused as before and a lot of the tracks lyrics don’t really standout like they have in the past.
If there is one thing that past Every Time I Die records had missing was good production. Either the guitars weren’t chunky enough, the drums drowned out and stale, or vocals oddly too high or low in the mix. With Kurt Ballou (Converge guitarist) producing the album, Every Time I Die finally get the production they’ve been needing their whole career. The drums now sound loud and in the forefront and the guitars sound abrasive as ever. A couple of these songs wouldn’t sound out of place at all on a Converge record. “All Structures Unstable” and “Pelican of the Desert” both featuring breakneck speed, pulse pounding drumming, and vicious vocals that would fit well in with Converge. Kurt’s production helps the band sound as aggressive as ever and really molds their sound together unlike past albums.
“From Parts Unknown” is sure to please fans both old and new. It’s got a certain accessibility, which will bring in new fans and the abrasive nature that will keep longtime fans pleased. Still, the album does lack some variation and treads along the same territory we’ve seen before. However, “From Parts Unknown” is still an excellent release that proves Every Time I Die have no plans of stopping any time soon and continually provide consistent releases.
