01. On Thin Ice
02. Drama
03. On Our Own
04. Mad Season
05. 97 Again
06. Les Temps Sont Durs
07. Low Key
08. Feed The Fire
09. The Distance
10. Way It Goes
11. RIP
12. This Is It
I was hoping to see Obey The Brave a few weeks ago, supporting Stray From The Path. Unfortunately, the running order had been changed, and as I was late, I sadly missed their set (See review here). Not all was lost though, as I picked up their new album from their merch stall, and have since given it a good listen.
Mad Season started off as I expected with some brutal slamming Hardcore, then suddenly I'm hit with some seriously melodic vocals! That's not a criticism, just a bit of a shock. The Obey The Brave of yesteryear was a crushing, riffing beast that would appeal to fans of Madball and Hatebreed, but with the inclusion of these big melodic choruses, they sound more like A Day To Remember at their heaviest, but minus the Pop-Punk, or like a less technical While She Sleeps.
I can understand why this change in style may upset fans who like their Hardcore bands to stick to formulas and churn out the same record every couple of years, but I think this evolution is a really positive thing. The heavy riffs are still there, and the band have only added to their sound as opposed to have taken anything away. The melodic vocals give a great new dynamic to their music, and consequently Mad Season is a very listenable album. They've even included a track that is mostly Hip-Hop (RIP) which gives the ears a break from the usual onslaught.
Mad Season is a brave move for the band, and I hope it pays off for them. The fact that it's full of really good songs should also help!
No comments
Post a Comment