Review Summary: The most consistent album from HIL in a very long time and is welcomed.
Something incredible must have sparked the always changing band that is He Is Legend. Are they southern? No, silly, they're from NC so they're kinda close to that punk scene. Wait a minute, what about that 'Hollywood' album? Eh. You get it. But, honestly who cares if the music is good, right?Â*It's unfair that what's transpired is a response of, "No, what I grew up with is THEE definitive mark of this band." And, we casually hear this a lot, yeah? I usually say this same thing as a Metallica fan and that shuts them up. Anyway, He Is Legend is back and it's the most natural progression from a previous album they've ever done.
I wanna splice 'natural' and 'progression'. You see the band has always strayed and wandered, and, in a sense, progressed, but I will argue it was never natural. [i]Heavy Fruit/i] was a game changer, a very divisive album that even I dispelled at first, but have come to love. Thankfully a well placed seed fell and sprouted an even more perfect sound that they were, probably, initially shooting for.
The melodies here are outstanding. Plain and simple. Schuylar Croom has finally found the right balance for his smoker voice. And when the riffs match his harsher tones they connect expertly. See: "Jordan" - and the line "You wear it well". The guitar is slimy I guess you could say a sludge like. So as I said the band has progressed again.
What makes this go around natural however is tricky. Some may argue this is their previous effort just doubled down. That's fair. But
few is
stronger. Where Heavy was the foundation this is what they were building toward. Hear: "Eastern Locust", they thrash and then pop the balloon with an excellent bridge. In one word its mature. But it's not all so serious.
Most of the fun from He Is Legend albums comes from that unexpected twist in a bridge or rhyme. Consider the riff/drum exchange at the end of "Beaufort"; I mean, it's just so goddamn groovy, its ridiculous. This is even more true for "Fritz the Dog"Â*I mean, come on, but the song is so energetic both vocally and musically, it's more than just a usual take on their formula. So whether you appreciate the bands risks, you can at least understand them. These are the dangerous and distinguishing aspects that differentiate
few from
Heavy Fruit
