Review Summary: Outstanding album that was well worth the wait and excitement
Let me just start off by saying that I personally am a massive fan on this album.
This album had a lot of hype based around it due to the members in the band. While many other bands would crack under the pressure, Isles & Glaciers has managed to produce one of the best albums that I have ever heard.
I'll to a general review before going into a track by track.
The band consists of:
Jonny Craig and Craig Owens- Lead Vocals
Vic Fuentes- Vocals, Guitars
Mike Fuentes- Drums, Percussion
Nick Martin- Guitar
Brian Southhall- Guitars, Programming, Electronics
Matt Goddard- Bass
The album is only seven songs long including two instrumentals which are little more than filler tracks. The album heavily relies on the talent of the vocalists and although it is stated on every review and forum, Jonny Craig is the standout, with his performance being the best I have heard of him.
Craig Owens whilst outstanding doesn't appear as regularly or match up in my own opinion but his performance is by no means bad.
Vic Fuentes performs his vocal section very well but if your not a fan of Pierce the Veil the songs featuring considerable amounts of his singing may annoy you (i.e. Cemetery Weather).
Though there are three guitarists in the band, the guitars are not exactly outstanding providing more background noise than actual decent instrumentation. The drums are a mixed of acoustic and programmed drums but both keep a steady rhythm and sound as though they are where they are supposed to be.
Aside from the vocals, the electronics in this album are amazing, each song being littered with them but as opposed to some bands, they add considerably to each song and rarely feel overused.
Track by Track:
Kings and Chandeliers is one of two instrumentals on the album and in my opinion, the better one. The song consists purely of programmed electronics and slowly builds up to a crescendo linking to the next song. The song sounds as though it belongs on the album and gives the listener a taste of what is to come. 3.5/5
Hills Like White Elephants sounds more like a Chiodos song than anything else on this album. However, this is by no means a bad thing as it is catchy and basically a perfect example of Isles & Glaciers sound like. This song is where Craig Owens truly shines in the album though the song falters with screams coming in three minutes in which just sounds 'overdone'. 4/5
Clush is the most 'poppy' of the songs, everything from the opening guitar and drums to the the chorus sounds pop-rock. This works very well, particularly during the chorus where Craig Owens once again takes control. The first half of the song is captivating but to at 2 min 30 sec you may find yourself skipping the track. 3/5
Empty Sighs and Wine is the song where Jonny Craig truly comes into the spotlight to the point where you are detracted from the other parts of the song. The guitars and acoustic seem entirely absent for the first half of the song but then come back into play towards the songs conclusion. Empty Sighs and Wine is very well constructed and the entire song is enjoyable from start to finish. 4.5/5
Oceans for Backyards is certainly the least enjoyable track on the album. Though some might say the song is eerie, truth be told it is just a filler and a bad one at that. It sounds like it belongs on a anime soundtrack more than an album, which is a shame because the track takes up space that could've been replaced by another song. The only good thing was the perfect transition into the next track. 1.5/5
Viola Lions is easily the best song on the album. No question. Everything about this song is outstanding with the vocals being the best on the album [and my iTunes library]. The chorus is so catchy and moving that you may have tears in your eyes. With almost 137 plays in iTunes, this song picks up the album from a 3.5 to a 4.5. Jonny Craig's performance is the best I have heard from him surpassing 'Surprise I'm From Cuba, Everyone has One Brain' and combined with the bizarrely fitting electronic, makes this the standout track of the album. 5/5
Cemetery Weather is the track where Vic Fuentes proves himself to challenge Jonny and Craig as vocalists of the band. With the exception of 'Oceans For Backyards' this is the slowest song on the album but still has a intense feel to it. However, the last three minutes of the song are really devoid of any originality, just repeating the same beat over and over again. The song is perfect closing for the album as the track doesn't try to catch your attention but merely concludes the album in a subtle and effective manner.
Pro
Outstanding Vocals
Excellent Programming
Catchy Songs
Viola Lion
Con
Guitar doesn't sound as good as expected
Drumming standard
To Short an Album and they are unlikely to make another one soon
