Website: All That Remains
The Inside Pulse:
A favorite among the US metal scene and following up their well-regarded last effort This Darkened Heart, All That Remains continues the path they have been carving for themselves. Featuring in-depth writing and the popular growl-and-clean-vocal style, the band stands out just enough from their similarly-styled peers to have a strong following of their own and plenty of critical praise. The question is, after all the accolades, will the band be able to continue to deliver?
Positives: It’s the lyricism and strong songwriting that has made All That Remains what it is, and The Fall of Ideals is no different. Bursts of catchy melody like those found in “Not Alone” keep individual songs memorable, and the undeniable crunches like those in “Whispers (I Hear Your)” almost make you headbang against your will. Make no mistake; in the American scene, All That Remains continues to be one of the better offerings.
Negatives: The biggest problem with The Fall of Ideals is that, while the songs are well-crafted, they’re all well-crafted in the same structure and style. Not only that, but it’s a style continued from their previous efforts. This causes far too much predictability and feels very cookie-cutter. Considering the talent within the band, it’s disappointing that there are absolutely no risks taken on this album.
Cross-breed: Ozzfest’s second stage. But the bands that play last, not the ones who play first.
Reason To Buy: Fans of the band and the genre will eat this up, but it won’t feel much more than like eating a different brand of your favorite type of cookie. Newbies should start with This Darkened Heart and snag this one if they feel it’s 11 songs too short.
