Haste The Day

Haste The Day vs. Haste The Day

Written by: PP on 13/09/2011 20:41:03

I'm not usually a fan of live releases because the divide between listening to a show on a record vs actually being there is too large of a gap to make the album matter even to a hardcore fan of the band in question, but what Haste The Day have done here on "Haste The Day vs. Haste The Day" is something special. They announced their decision to disband after five albums late last year, and finished a farewell tour in February and March, which finished in a special hometown goodbye show on March 11th at Indianapolis, Indiana. That show was completely sold out and consisted of sixteen songs with outtakes from each of their records, and it was filmed and recorded specifically for a CD/DVD release (this review is only about the CD part).

But that March 11th show wasn't just any show. To make their fans feel special, the final members of Haste The Day had invited all original members of the band to perform with them on stage, so this record includes a performance not just from Keech (2006-2011), Murphy (2001-2011), Krysl (2008-2011), Capolupo (2009-2011) and Whelan (2009-2011) - the final lineup - but also from Jimmy Ryan (2001-2005), Brennan Chaulk (2001-2009), Devin Chaulk (2001-2008), and Jason Barnes (2001-2008). What a treat for the long time fans of Haste The Day, and even for those of us who haven't been with the band for so long. Watching/hearing old vocalist Jimmy Ryan delivering his tormented scream together with Keech's own style laid on top of it on "Blue 42" is a once in a lifetime experience for any Haste The Day fan, so it only makes sense that the band decided to record the show and share it with the rest of the world who couldn't be at the sold-out show in Indiana. Better yet, the sound quality is crisp and crystal-clear, so both the crowd and everyone from the band fit in the same soundscape in a balanced manner. The crowd singalongs are loud and impressive, the vocalists don't drown each other out, and the guitars and drums all play a solid, but noninvasive role throughout.

The old members of the band sound like they're having the time of their lives, with especially vocalist Ryan appearing in great spirits, adding in lots of humour about himself being fat and out-of-shape, but also mid-song crowd control such as "heeeey...you guys remember this part? This is a good part!!" right before an enormous breakdown clears the floor for karate moshers to wreak havoc on. He has lots of enthusiasm in between the songs, too, sharing stories and his experiences from the past, and most of all, sounding more genuine and thankful for the opportunity than ever. Even the cliché "this is the craziest show I've ever been to" line sounds convincing and entirely believable, and if one is to check out many of the videos on YouTube that were uploaded from this show, it only makes sense that he thinks that. Imagine an entire room full of fans that know every song you've ever written inside out, and have travelled from all over the country to take part in this special event show...yeah, no wonder the show feels like something else.

And while all of the above is already more than a good reason to buy a copy of this CD/DVD package, the selection of songs is basically a best-of Haste The Day. I've always been skeptical of the band in the past because I came onboard during one of their mediocre albums after the old singer quit, but "Haste The Day vs. Haste The Day" has made me realize that maybe they are a better band than I thought they were. Much better, in fact. And when one listens to songs like "Pressure The Hinges", "The Minor Prophets", "Substance" and many others, the sing-along melodies and their contrasted counterparts in aggressive shrieks, as well as the wealth of excellent metalcore riffs, should be enough to convince almost anyone. I rarely say this about live albums, but this one is a MUST have for anyone into metalcore, and if you're a Haste The Day fan, this record is pretty much a 10/10 no question. Most bands in the genre can only dream of playing a show this good.

Download: Blue 42 (live with Jimmy Ryan), Substance (live), Pressure The Hinges (live)
For the fans of: Haste The Day, August Burns Red, Destroy The Runner
Listen: Myspace

Release date 13.09.2011
Tooth & Nail Records

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