Review Summary: hard rock that rocks hard.
Sometimes albums just rock hard and it’s difficult to explain why. Something about them just strikes a chord, and they are instantly enjoyable or relatable. There is no way to accurately describe this instant love, it’s just the way it is. Call it love at first sight, call it puppy love, call it destiny, call it whatever the heck you want – I call it a reflection of a person’s personal preferences. You heard correctly, even the worst album in the world could be enjoyable to someone, after all, it’s a personal matter. So why would a certain album hit harder than others? I suggest you examine yourself first.
Mainstream hard rock is not known for its subtlety with dynamics. It consists of loud drums, loud guitars, and loud vocals – everything is loud. What’s worse is that songs can sound too similar because of the same song structure being used over and over and over again. There will be a few verses, maybe a bridge, and a lot of chorus – that’s it. Some albums though, despite falling under the same tradition, still sound new. In
End of Grey, Decyfer Down proves the possibility of following the genre’s conventions without being mundane. The funny thing is, Decyfer Down is more or less your typical mainstream hard rock band. Still, they find a way to stand out despite everything that holds them back.
In this album, the appeal is definitely brain-rattling riffs. While other hard rock bands eventually cool down, Decyfer Down remains blistering the entire time. The riffs are constantly heavy, catchy, and extremely cool. There are plenty of (what could be called) breakdowns, but they seamlessly fit into the band’s overall sound. The album has surprisingly good songwriting, which is evident from its ability to stay in the mind of listeners. It certainly helps that amidst the crushing guitars, the band is still tight. It also helps that the lead singer (who was unfortunately replaced after this album) provides an engaging, and powerful vocal performance. Another reason why this album remains memorable lies in the songs which have instantly recognizable melodies, a difficult task to be sure, but this band does it effortlessly. Even every chorus in the album is both robust and unforgettable. How do they do it? It beats me how they do it, but let it be known that
End of Grey is a rockin album.
