As progressive emo rockers Anberlin get ready to call it quits, they have generously given fans a once more wave of excellent music with their new album Lowborn. Anberlin are also giving fans a world tour to boot, to exit in true classy fashion.
From 2003’s Blueprints for the Black Market to today’s Lowborn Anberlin have positively progressed over their 11 year run, and the culmination of their 7 full lengths is again ear pleasing. They proved they can rock with heavy hitter contemporaries such as Circa Survive, Saosin, Taking Back Sunday, Mae, Copeland, and The Classic Crime by releasing staggering soundscaped rock albums Cities and New Surrender. 2012’s Vital was simply one good song after the next, showing their diverse robust chops and still maintaining the feel good pop mentality groove as heard on “Someone Anyone.” The scary thing about knowing this will be their last collection of recordings isn’t the question about quality; but rather the question will it satisfy as Anberlin’s last offering?
On Lowborn Stephen Christian’s voice is seasoned and strong and Anberlin’s instrumentation is solid, even as they have clearly gone more experimental. But, at this point it is hard for this well established band to do any wrong. Lowborn’s opener “We Are Destroyer” fuses electro rock with more fast yet tempered riffing. It’s classic Anberlin, full of anthem and vigour. Enough of the heavy and the melody to pump the crowd, and just the right amount of swag. The second track ‘”Armageddon” starts out sounding like a David Bowie sample from space. It grooves into a nice riff, and Christian’s vocals are perfect. Soft and crooning, teasing a build that hits at 1:40. Electronic music fans will appreciate this song as it fuses the rock so well and fluidly with that dirty 010101 beat. “I built this city just to bring it to its kneeees!”
“Stranger Ways” is the first single off this record, and you may be somewhat surprised by it. It is slow, well composed and haunting, so why the first single? The “Will I see you again, if ever?” lyrics may answer that, as the band writes a farewell ode to its longtime fans and friends. However once again, this is a great song that doesn’t need to be heavier to be better. It rolls so nicely in a beautiful melody and forces your toes to tap and your finger to hit volume up! The video for “Stranger Ways” is also a testament to Anberlin’s constant attention to detail and their privy eye for original art.
Track four slams in and echoes with thick atmosphere and mood. “Velvet Covered Brick” is the name of this double bass chorused rock song. It’s got a temper and a shy feel to it, as the listener is taken from lows to high octane guitars. “Atonement” radiates in with an electronic intro, and Nathan Young’s percussion is precise. Joey Milligan and Christian McAlhaney’s guitar work are infused and all the elements build this atmospheric room of warmth and safety. I haven’t heard a song so comforting since Jimmy Eat World’s ‘Hear You Me.’ This is probably their strongest as far as overall satisfaction is concerned, but it’s only the 5th track.
“Birds of Prey” starts off sounding awesome as well. Space rock? Again, Electronic music fans will dig this as well! It pulsates with a beat and grooves with a vocal melody, which makes you think Anberlin could possibly make a dance record. The live drums and the guitars blaze in of course, but the cohesion is so well done it’s not even noticeable. It’s a tight song that weaves in and out, and ends too quickly at 3:55. “Dissenter” is a welcomed heavy hardcore song. Is Stephen screaming? Wow! It’s like Brand New and I See Stars wrote a song for Anberlin, and then at 2:15 we finally realize it is an Anberlin song! For a short time. The tornado picks up again and then ends as our hair is standing up on end! Just a cool and different song.
On “Losing It All” we get a smooth percussion and piano intro that sets the tone for another energetic and sexy pop rock song. It’s good and again very satisfying. It easily could be another single and would make for a nice video. The guitar solo is short, but shiny and I love this song. Play this for your girl under the moonlight and…well…yeah…
“Hearing Voices” keeps the atmosphere alive and the clicking guitar against the vocals are stark. At this point on most records of this genre we have a weak song, a bad song. A B-side that was pulled to round out the record, but so far all we have with Lowborn is pure quality and goodness. Ear candy. The last track is “Harbinger” a song that finishes off the album just as strongly as it started. Christian’s voice is just too unique and solid to make a song sound weak. He pines, croons, howls and whispers through this one and pulls you in with lyrics and melodies that will have the hardcore fan crying and those at the future live shows wishing the moment would last forever, but all good things must come to an end; as this album ends so does the illustrious career of one of modern rocks most interesting and talented bands.
It is more than safe to say that Anberlin have ended absolutely well musically. Lowborn is everything us fans would want it to be. Emotional, deep, atmospheric, and beautiful. One of the qualities I enjoyed about this record is that it’s very hard to pick a favourite song. Those are the best types of albums though. Anberlin will be touring across the world in the coming months. Those who get to witness the farewell shows will get to experience something very special. With Lowborn as the culmination of so many other great songs to play live, those fans are in for not just another live show, but a moment they’ll never forget.
Rating: 5/5