Unrelated but I once had a dream that Bloodbath decided to change their vocalist after each album, and their next vocalist was Aaron.

Written by RaduP on 14.03.2020 at 16:18

Unrelated but I once had a dream that Bloodbath decided to change their vocalist after each album, and their next vocalist was Aaron.

I need some of that thing you smoke. Aaron's harsh vocals are very good here btw.

Written by nikarg on 14.03.2020 at 16:28

Written by RaduP on 14.03.2020 at 16:18

Unrelated but I once had a dream that Bloodbath decided to change their vocalist after each album, and their next vocalist was Aaron.

I need some of that thing you smoke. Aaron's harsh vocals are very good here btw.

That's why it's kinda sad. He's still got it but the dream will stay a dream and the next Bloodbath record will probably still have Old Nick. Someone like Dan Swano or Mikael Stanne or Tomi Joutsen would be interesting as well.

And yeah this record was really underwhelming. Especially with them on Nuclear Blast I don't expect them to do anything not safe. What wouldn't I give for something more in the vein of As The Flower Withers or 30% Complete

Written by RaduP on 14.03.2020 at 16:33

What wouldn't I give for something more in the vein of As The Flower Withers or 30% Complete

You don't even have to go that far back, Feel The Misery was a great album. And you could really hear and feel the pain in Aaron's voice, while on this one it sounds like robots are singing.

This is a very good review - informative, knowledgeable and critical. FTM>this by miles.

Good review, even if I disagree with it. I never got bored with the drawn out songs for some reason and really enjoyed the interludes. I think the double-tracked cleans do sound a bit more processed than usual, but I think that gives the album a distinct flavor that differentiates itself in a good way from the rest of their catalog. I can still totally see though why these things would bother other people though.

Written by ickoriss on 14.03.2020 at 20:08

Good review, even if I disagree with it. I never got bored with the drawn out songs for some reason and really enjoyed the interludes. I think the double-tracked cleans do sound a bit more processed than usual, but I think that gives the album a distinct flavor that differentiates itself in a good way from the rest of their catalog. I can still totally see though why these things would bother other people though.

I do not mind the drawn out songs that much but the double-tracked cleans really ruin the entire album for me and they are particularly annoying on "Tired Of Tears", which, due to its theme, I was expecting to be absolutely crushing. And it wasn't. I hate to make such comparisons but the truth is that when I listened to it, I thought that it cannot hold a candle to Panopticon's "Rune's Heart", which was released earlier this year and bears a similar lyrical theme, and is just too perfect for words.

I am pleased you like the album though. I suppose many others disagree with me since it has a fairly high rating here.

Excellent review, dude, very elaborate and focused on the main issues with this album.
I agree on many points you make, especially the following two:

"...Aaron's multi-tracked clean vocals (the raspy ones are more than fine). They are so overproduced and layered that they sound completely unnatural and thus fail to create the deep emotional impact that they have achieved every single time in the past."

"...and this particular band clearly wasn't ready for it."

I didnt have that high expectations with this release, after what they have gone through in the past five years, and in the context of the label change. But still, being a huge MDB fanboy (for almost everything they have done up until the present album), I cannot keep myself from being extremely disappointed with this release.

Written by Redel on 14.03.2020 at 23:33

But still, being a huge MDB fanboy (for almost everything they have done up until the present album), I cannot keep myself from being extremely disappointed with this release.

This, man. So much this.

Written by nikarg on 14.03.2020 at 23:23

Written by ickoriss on 14.03.2020 at 20:08

Good review, even if I disagree with it. I never got bored with the drawn out songs for some reason and really enjoyed the interludes. I think the double-tracked cleans do sound a bit more processed than usual, but I think that gives the album a distinct flavor that differentiates itself in a good way from the rest of their catalog. I can still totally see though why these things would bother other people though.

I do not mind the drawn out songs that much but the double-tracked cleans really ruin the entire album for me and they are particularly annoying on "Tired Of Tears", which, due to its theme, I was expecting to be absolutely crushing. And it wasn't. I hate to make such comparisons but the truth is that when I listened to it, I thought that it cannot hold a candle to Panopticon's "Rune's Heart", which was released earlier this year and bears a similar lyrical theme, and is just too perfect for words.

I am pleased you like the album though. I suppose many others disagree with me since it has a fairly high rating here.

Yeah, I think it's just a different strokes situation. You're not the only person to have the grievances you do. I definitely would love to hear a rougher mix of this thing though, if it's out there.

I just drunk this beer
https://www.cigarcitybrewing.com/beer/caffe-americano/

After long scooter race and bbq on frozem Lake. I wish winter stays till mid april, live scooter rides. Long day and I enjoy this rewiev, like I said cello and violin save the day, ir makes it mid 90...old Ashes you leave, who remember that croatian band. Pivo.

Written by nikarg on 14.03.2020 at 23:40

Written by Redel on 14.03.2020 at 23:33

But still, being a huge MDB fanboy (for almost everything they have done up until the present album), I cannot keep myself from being extremely disappointed with this release.

This, man. So much this.

You know, I guess what is to be realized by us fanboys now is that this band is dead for us, now that they have moved to the major genre label. That is a given, it is irreversible.

It's a solid effort, very MDBish...even if they knocked some avant garde mud off
their feet to get on NB's corporate carpet, they'll enjoy a larger radius for it...

I very much agree on the vocals side. They feel overproduced and overlayered for no apparent reason.
I found the album very inconsistent with songs not blending well one another. We get these more folkish songs like Tired of Tears and Your Broken Shore, but also these long incoherent messy songs like The Old Earth.
Where they still shine is when they simplify things and let the guitar riffs sing their woes and Aaron accompanies the riffs with his trademark (non layered) vocals, both harsh and melodic. In To Outlive the Gods and my favorite The Long Black Land the bands delivers such sound, resembling one of their best efforts ever, 1999's The Light at the End of the World.
The interludes and postlude are completely redundant. Harshly speaking, they add absolutely nothing to the album, except a few extra minutes.
There's still quite a bit to enjoy here, with at least three songs being very good and among the best they've written in recent years. Jeff Singer was a terrific addition and i hope he stays for a long time. The artwork is fantastic and made me order the cd + ts package.
I think a 6 out of 10 is a bit too low. A 7 suits it better.
A final wish: with Paradise Lost and Katatonia also releasing new albums this year, it would be so great if they all toured together.

Written by [user id=104220] on 16.03.2020 at 14:12

A final wish: with Paradise Lost and Katatonia also releasing new albums this year, it would be so great if they all toured together.

And then we can all kill ourselves after the show

This is the best review of the album I've read so far. The ones coming out before the album release were all pretty fake.

Though i'd give the album more a 7 than a 6. It took time to catch on, but it's growing on me with every listen (except for the 4 fillers :/)

Written by The Melting Snow on 21.03.2020 at 07:43

This is the best review of the album I've read so far. The ones coming out before the album release were all pretty fake.

Though i'd give the album more a 7 than a 6. It took time to catch on, but it's growing on me with every listen (except for the 4 fillers :/)

All revievers listened it befor

I actually really like this album, and I prefer it to 'Feel the Misery' and 'A Map of All Our Failures'. I think the production works really well and the change in Aaron's vocals is very welcome after his lacklustre performance in 'Feel...'. It's not a perfect album by any stretch, but I just love the tone of the whole thing.

I honestly think this album is one of their best in years. Takes me back to The Light At The End Of The World sometimes.

Hmmm... don't know what to say about this album. It's just disappointing... After really great one Feel The Misery this time there is something missing, new tracks are not thrilling. I listened to this album few times and nothing left... No song to come back to. In my opinion one of the worst in few years - sorry Passenger.

I really loved the growls here, one of the best in the industry I think. The fifth song sounded like a perfect doom song to me. The interludes were annoying and didn't add much. The fiffs also sounded really similar.