Bleeding Through

Declaration

Written by: AP on 07/12/2008 17:15:38

In 2003: Spin magazine's artist to watch: In 2004: ushered as one of Revolver's eight bands advocating the future of metal. In 2006: Billboard names "The Truth" as one of the four most important hard rock albums of that year. Yet somehow the success of Bleeding Through overseas never picked up here. Whether it was because of the virtually non-existent metalcore scene in Europe is irrelevant now, because all that's about to change. With song titles like "Germany", "French Inquisition" and "The Loving Memory of England", Bleeding Through's intent is clear: break the European market once and for all.

Although christening their fifth album "Declaration" is a bold move, there's substance to the ambitious title, because the wall of sound that rises out of nowhere as soon as the majestic intro tunes reach their climax is absolutely fucking immense. It seems that after years of struggling with the metalcore cliché, Bleeding Through have finally found their own niche, drawing as much influence from symphonic black metal as they do from bay area thrash. In fact, were it not for the occasional breakdown, the band could easily pass for a Swedish death metal band now. Some of that probably owes to Jona Weinhofen's repressed genius, but the difference maker here is Marta. In the past, her keyboards have added little more than texture to the raging riffs, but on "Declaration" her dramatic omnipresence and graceful sublets give the album an air of grandieur and make Brian and Jona's shredding sound twice as menacing.

"Declaration" destroys everything in its wake, with Devin Townsend's signature tone giving the album the momentum of a free-falling anvil. If there's one thing to dish out a bashing for on "Declaration" though, it's the occasional melodic choruses as delivered by bassist Ryan Wombacher, delivered with empty emotion and a voice too melancholic to complement the hatred in Brandon's vocals. But the song-writing coupled with the malignant atmosphere, not to mention the extent to which Bleeding Through have stepped on the gas with this record, are enough to shroud such miscalculations. "Declaration" earns every letter of its title: far from perfect, but one among many and ripe with extraordinary moments.

8

Download: There Was A Flood, French Inquisition, Death Anxiety

For the fans of: The Arcane Order, All Shall Perish, The Black Dahlia Murder

Listen: Myspace

Release date 26.09.2008

Trustkill

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