Melodic, metal-core band, All That Remains will attempt to remain at the top of the heavy music mountain with another fine release, The Order of Things.
With 2008’s Overcome – the album that put All That Remains on the map – they proved they could combine metal and melody in an original way that few others could. With old schoolers like Judas Priest or Iron Maiden as their influences, All That Remains have perfected their own signature sound. With 2010’s For We Are Many and 2012’s A War You Cannot Win, All That Remains remained atop the heap; and although frontman Phil Labonte has said some things recently that I definitely do no not agree with, I promise this is just a review on the music. Promise.
The opening track, “This Probably Won’t End Well” starts out beautifully and it shimmers with poise. Labonte’s vocals are spot on as he cleanly sings each word and note. A hopeful song with great guitar work and rhythm; good clean artistry all around. A definite favorite right off the bat with a killer classic guitar solo from the legendary Oli Herbert.
Track two “No Knock” barges right in with pissed off lyrics that Labonte snarls as he calls out and challenges anyone who dares to mess with him. Not that we all should take him that seriously, but he does sound pretty mad. It works for the song at least. It will get the circle pits bloody, if anything!
“Divide” has a cool opening riff and nice clean vocals. Labonte has written a more sympathetic set of lyrics here, and the fans love it when he shows his sensitive side! This song has heavy pop rock all over it, but All That Remains makes it work so well sonically that it passes for heavy rock/metal. This will probably be one of the singles, or at least a crowd favorite.
“The Greatest Generation” starts off fast and it is surprising to hear Labonte performing clean vocals again. It works better with this song, especially on the chorus. Inspiring lyrics and enough fist pumping moments, this song rounds out the first four tracks perfectly! It is songs like this that make All That Remains such a cool band to see live!
“For You” is a genuine All That Remains ballad. It has a very ‘rock radio’ edge to it, but it is actually a good song. The lyrics and the rhythm have a subtle competition going on, which makes this simple song quite dynamic.
With “A Reason For Me to Fight” All that Remains crank up the speed again. Labonte is still delivering cleans amidst the heaviness, but it works well; a more modern and heavier derivative of former metal titans.
By this point in the album I would have liked to hear more screaming from Labonte. Perhaps he thinks he sounds too much like that Hatebreed crap. Their music is so dynamic that some heavier vocals would be welcome.
“Pernicious” starts out with me thinking, here comes more cleans…but at 38 seconds in we refreshingly get some more screams…then back to cleans. So the song teases, and at the same time we are still getting some quality musicianship overall. This one may be more experimental as it dips between slow and fast, soft and heavy.
Yes! “Bite My Tongue” is an in-album return to form. That familiar speed guitar that matches Labonte’s vocal perfectly. It has my head bopping, and makes me feel young again, ha! Clean vocals again, but it reminds of the old favorite “Two Weeks” in some moments. It has a naked solo – only guitar – near the end. An interesting and different thing you don’t hear in heavy music very often. Hmm…
“Fiat Empire” comes in as the tenth track, and sounds like it too. Slower, melancholy, and darker, it is a heavier ballad. Not really getting my juices flowing, but as ATR has been around the block, I understand their temptations to make more laden music. The best part comes at the two minute mark, as the song breaks into perhaps their heaviest moment. Then… Labonte is having a Phil Collins epiphany, singing O-o-o-ooooo’s …. and yeah that wraps up that one.
Track 11 “Tru-Klvt-Metal” is hopefully their show opener! Vicious and heavy and brutal, it is very satisfyingly heavy! Great drum work by Jason Costa, all around awesome guitars and lots of screaming/grunting! This is the track that is needed this far into the record and it delivers! Pow!
“Criticism and Self Realization” seems like a great title for the end song. Not sure if it is solely about Labonte’s life, but it would seem so. Especially on the course, he is doing some soul searching and life correcting. All this through some nice heaviness and screamed verses and a well notched clean chorus. A fat breakdown dives into a cool solo, and Labonte ends this group of songs leaving us knowing that he self admittedly wants to confess his mistakes. It’s nice to see artists – especially super cocky metal head frontmen – get raw and honest in their lyrics.
The Order of Things ends the way it started, and everything in between leaves us either feeling like there could have been more – or – like we can see a band that has really come into a new era of craftsmanship with music, feeling risky enough to try some new things.
All in all, it is a well delivered piece of work from All That Remains, and I for one am a sucker for Labonte’s poisoned yet honey coated voice set amongst carefully crafted brutal yet serenading metal.
Rating: 4/5