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The Amity Affliction

Let The Ocean Take Me

Written by: BL on 30/06/2014 22:41:01

If you've listened to enough post-hardcore over the last six years then you should know how much of a staple The Amity Affliction have been to the genre. Their new album "Let The Ocean Take Me" follows from their largely well received 2012 "Chasing Ghosts", and as such is a linear continuation of their sound that long time fans still lovingly appreciate - mixing intense darkened metalcore with hugely passionate melodic post-hardcore. Many critics pointed out that perhaps the band's songs are becoming a bit too formulaic nowadays, and this is true for the most part though the band think of it as an honest strength rather than a detraction.

Fortunately for The Amity Affliction, their songwriting has been solid enough to keep themselves chest above the wades of mediocrity that seemingly plagues the genre at the moment. "Pittsburgh" is an fierce re-introduction to the band's craft while showing a few flashes of new brilliance. Between solid metalcore verses and a catchy chorus there's a superb choir that really powers the emotive feel of the song home. Meanwhile "Death's Head" showcases some of the band's most ferocious instrumentation to date with some great intense guitar driven passages interspersed amongst the usual flavours. "Don't Lean On Me" and "My Father's Son" also have some great individual melodic sections and harmonies that fans will love for their catchiness.

The Amity Affliction continue their long running theme of fighting depression and suicide using haunting lyrical content throughout the album, drawing from actual experiences of frontman screamer Joel Birch. Whether it be the captivating opening segment of "Don't Lean On Me" that features the words from the album title, the crushing anchorered sensation of "The Weigh Down", or the audio clip of a fictional phone message at the end of "Never Alone", it all feeds a helpless sense of isolation and desperation that is genuinely dark - "I think it, I think it might be time for me to leave. Just call it quits.". But where is despair there will always come hope and the choruses sung by Ahren Stringer offset the mood considerably, the final song "Give It All" perhaps the best example with the returning choir once again - "I give it all and when I fall, I get up and give some more, until there's nothing left of me, just some bones stacked on the floor".

For what it's worth The Amity Affliction have done what they do best as "Let The Ocean Take Me" is a consistent emotional ride from start to end. It's raw at times and packs a mean hook when it wants to but also bursts with ripe melodies. The album serves as an endearing embodiment of everything the band stands for - delivering actual positivity in their lyrics instead of a bunch of hollow repeated phrases other bands are perhaps too keen to market and monetize.

Download: Pittsburgh, Don't Lean On Me, Death's Head
For the fans of: Of Mice & Men, Close To Home, Dream On, Dreamer
Listen: Facebook

Release date 06.06.2014
Roadrunner Records