Hearing a young band live for the first time can be a hit or miss to say the least, especially when they are opening a show. Sometimes it is easy to see how tense a band on stage, but in my case with
Aiden it was perfectly clear that they knew what they were doing, as they proceeded to blow the roof off of the club. To this day I have never seen an opening band at any show generate as much energy as the quintet from Seattle did that one night. Needless to say they won me over as a live band and since their new record
Nightmare Anatomy was only 10 bucks I picked it up. As far the as the record goes, it is a fairly nice listen every now and than. The overall vocal tone is pleasing to me, although the screaming could use a bit of work. Guitar wise the riffs are nicely done, very tight knit with each other and really add a lot to their respective songs songs. Surprisingly bass plays a huge part in holding up the rhythm section, as it is fairly high in the mix. It balances things out very nice and contrasts from most pop punk acts around. Drums are above average, often times a metronome with some variations but it gets the job done. Plenty of the time there is not a lot of room for the drums to stand out due to the guitar but when the opportunity presents itself they come out. The sound itself is obviously pop punk with a bit of a darker tone in some cases. It is a tad on the generic side, but what that is not the biggest disappointment of the record. The biggest flaw in the record is the beginning sets up for an ending the band cannot finish.
Opening up the record is not a problem at all for
Aiden as things start off on a strong note. This is thanks to the fact that the first three songs are the singles in order off of the record.
Knife Blood Nightmare wastes little time in getting into things, opening with vocals and instruments in full force. Riffs are shown right away over a nice rhythm section. Wil’s vocals are often compared to Gerard’s of My Chemical Romance and while there are similarities, they are quite easy to tell apart. A bit of a whinny nature is created with the vocals in some cases, but it is obvious that Wil knows how to sing. His range is fairly decent in size, and he is capable of sustaining notes quite smoothly as shown from the opener. When the backing vocals are singing they add a nice beam of support, often times increasing the catchiness to a chorus. As far as the screaming, it has its moments but overall could use some work as things tend to sound forced, especially when handled by Jake and Nick. Thankfully in the opening song Wil handles a good amount of the screaming. That along with the in your face atmosphere of the song make it the perfect introduction for the band as well as a nice choice for the first single. Next up is the ever controversial
Last Sunrise. Listen to the opening riff and than listen to Deadbolt by Thrice, and yeah… There is a fine line between influence and rip off and the band stretches that here. Things shift into an awesome rhythm progression with both guitarists playing different parts. With the bass thumping along, things resemble a perfect verse before exploding into a wonderful chorus. Wil’s vocals sound incredible during the chorus and it is a difficult one to get out of your head. There is a nice soft bridge before the screams come out. The two sections keep the variety going and the diversity up. Some solid songwriting is in play as the opening riff comes back out with dual vocals over it. The song ends up powerful, catchy and a highlight.
Third single and track
Die Romantic changes up the flow a bit, as the vocals sound a bit calmer than in the previous tracks. For the most part the instrumental work is very straightforward and effective, opening up with some palm muted progressions. The tone is quite unique during the intro and right away sets a bit of a diverse atmosphere than the previous tracks. There is definitely a lack of screaming compared to the first few songs as well, but here it is for the better, as the more relaxed feel is effectively in play. Wil makes his mark quite well while staying confined into a smaller range than usual. Things are far from monotone, but a little on the safe side. All in all the song works out better than way vocally. Drummer Jake D makes quite the appearance here with some darn fitting rolls, mainly sticking out during the last half of the song in the bridge. Throughout the chorus backing vocals add a very nice touch with a bit of an echo effect, and once again the catchiness factor is up there; another solid song and choice for a single. Well if the first three tracks are the first three singles it is hard to get much better than that, right? That is for the most part more true than false, as the next track to really grab attention is
Goodbye We’re Falling Fast. A tight little riff opens this one up over a fantastic rhythm section, with Jake D coming through with some perfectly placed rolls and fills. This is easily his highlight song, as the placement of his work is superb. The guitars wander a little during the verse, playing with some melodies leaving it up to Nick to hold things together rhythm wise on the bass. He really digs in and his tone sounds awesome as it perfectly keeps things tight. During the bridge there is a nice little acoustic section with a clean riff over it and soft vocals. It is a perfect lead up to the final chorus once again there is a drum driven tempo change. So those four songs are obviously highlights, but what about the rest?
There is quite a mix of things that make the other songs just sort of there. For the most part there is not really a completely weak and filler reeking song here, more so the band’s sound just begins to wear tediously. Structure wise it seems as though they always choose to end with choruses. As well all know this becomes a bit of a problem in the long run. These lovely sing-a-longs are great for certain songs, but when hooks become predictable and overused things are overwhelming as well as forgettable. The middle of the album is a great deal weaker than the opening tracks, but things never become completely dreadful. However one thing that does end up very tedious is the constant use of the echo vocals during the chorus. The band really uses them to the max and they just begin to lose effect. Overall it just adds to a recycled sound and one begins to wonder if the band can break their mold. Song writing begins to become very conventional and easy to see coming, because as stated before
Aiden seems lost as to how to end a song without a chorus. Maybe they are choosing to maximize the usage of their strong points, but if that is the case these young fellows need to develop a few more techniques as things do become dull at a rapid pace. Singling out a completely useless track is not necessary, as in general these are problems that bring the middle of the album down, and save from
Goodbye We’re Falling Fast the ending does not distinguish itself with what has already be done. Identity is not lacking with the group, as they know what they want and how to execute it well. Yet they often seem like a one trick pony that needs to develop a little more. However, at a young age, time is not an immediate issue as they are certainly on the right track as the opening of the record will prove. Perhaps with a greater range of sounds and structures, the group will be able to put together a complete record as their potential to do so is most certainly there.
Clearly the band has talent and despite the fact that many choose not to look past the makeup and the black, this album does show that the group has the ability to write some solid music. However, at the same time there is a good deal of instances where their sound lacks variety. There are occasions where the sound they exercise works out incredibly, as the first three tracks will show. They can play their instruments, create some interesting sections, and make some darn catchy music. Perhaps by finding some new influences and taking a variation of approaches to things, they will be able to create a record with some diversity in it, as that is the main issue that is lacking here. In plenty of cases the flaw with a young band would be inconsistent song writing and some filler tracks.
Aiden has the consistent sound down pat, the problem is that it is a bit too consistent. That aside, these young guys are still growing as people and as musicians. They are off to a great start with this record, and as time goes on it will be interesting to see what direction and path the group chooses to go down. There is a good deal of potential in the hands of
Aiden and hopefully they will be able to use it to the fullest extent in the future.
Aiden is…
Wil - Vocals
Jake W - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Angel - Guitar
Nick - Bass/Backing Vocals
Jake D - Drums
Final Rating: 2.5/5
