Rating: 5/5 Stars
It was only last year that I discovered the metalcore band While She Sleeps, and I continue to regret not finding them earlier. This band is one of the most dynamic of their genre, proving themselves to have an absolutely intense unclean vocalist in Sean Long and a unique clean vocalist in guitarist Mat Welsh. This band is great in the instrumental department too, boasting memorable and prominent guitar riffs and drum work in both of their first two albums. They have proven themselves to be interesting lyrically as well, tackling challenging issues such as religion, what lies beyond death, and politics. "You Are We" is the band's newest album which just came out a few weeks ago. What WSS gives us with this album is, in my opinion, one of the best modern metal albums ever as well as a very strong contender for best album of the year.
This album is very strong in every facet: vocally, instrumentally, and lyrically. This is immediately established on the title track, which is an effectively epic and dynamic opener. It starts subtly with a beautiful acoustic guitar before hearing Long belt out "You are we", and then the song explodes in glorious fashion. This track establishes an important theme throughout the album: trying to find unity despite our differences. It's a tough theme to explore, especially in a time when we are so divided. But the title track is convincing in asserting that each individual ("you") can become a part of bigger whole ("we") if we try to find what we have in common with one another rather than what is different. It's artistically clever the way the band establishes this. Musically, I love the title track's big riffs and Welsh's wonderful cleans. After this track, we get what is in my opinion the best track on the album as well as While She Sleep's best song to date in "Steal the Sun". This song is so angry but in its anger it speaks a lot of truth about the present state of our society. The whole band teams up on some well done gang vocals to ask the listener "Did you sell your soul to the headlines?/Teach our young why we can't survive?/We're never gonna let you take this away from us/There's no bribe I'd take to betray this trust". What these lyrics are implying is that people would rather put trust in the media rather than try to get to understand one another on a more personal level. There are also some clever lyrics that ask "Why are we dying to live?", meaning that we seem to be in a perpetual state of wanting to die rather than actually live. I love what this song is talking about. Musically, the song is perfect, shifting unpredictably from a metalcore style to a more hard rock feel seamlessly. The breakdown in the song is a pure treat, and both Long and Welsh have incredible vocal chemistry that comes together perfectly at every point. This is an easy potential for best song of the year.
"Feel" is a huge song, running nearly five minutes and never once not being interesting. This is another major highlight in my opinion, and that is simply for the great musicianship. The guitar work is at its best hear, with some amazing guitar solos as well as frequent breakdowns that will keep your head banging. It's refreshing to hear While She Sleeps using breakdowns appropriately rather than just doing them in excess, and because of that the talent of the musicians seriously shines here. There is a nice drum groove in this song that will really make you move, and it keeps the song feeling constantly dynamic. "Empire of Silence" is a unique song, as its filled with a lot more clean vocals that contrast with some really intense guitar work. The clean vocals sound angry in their own way however, as they state some justified anger about how the empire of the United States has been corrupted: "We're building walls/Where there should have been bridges/Borders in the land that we roam/We pray for war..." This may not just be talking about us as a country, but us as individuals also. We are often content with building walls around ourselves so that we don't have to let other people in and instead can stay selfishly to ourselves. WSS proposes the only solution to saving ourselves is to work together rather than intentionally creating divides. This song is yet again musical gold, especially in the bridge. "Wide Awake" is an almost purely hard rock song with some screaming thrown in, and it proves to be one of the most catchy songs, as it has a chorus that is sure to be stuck in your head for a long time.
"Silence Speaks" is the single that really got me interested in listening to more by WSS, and the song still proves to be a highlight in the context of the album. This song hooks you in from the beginning, asking the compelling question "Where is your heart?", which really feels like a question that is at the crux of this whole album, making this track even more powerful when looked at in relation to the rest of the songs on "You Are We". The song speaks of self-deception: "If you're gonna accuse me of telling you what you already knew/It's the same song sung with a different truth/And all of us forget it cause our head's inside the noose/They will manipulate the masses again". I love the metaphors Sean uses here, saying that blindly accepting what those in the media tell us will lead us to willingly stay in a noose of our own making. I also love the big guitar riffs in this song, especially the AMAZING solo that explodes in full force after the track's bridge. This guitar riff continue continues until the end of the song, making the track have an ending that is nothing short of epic. The trading off of Long and Welsh's vocals works magnificently in this track as well, and Oliver Sykes's guest spot only serves to make the song better. "Settle Down Society" is a suitable follow-up to the "Silence Speaks" as it relates thematically to the previous track. It quiets down the album somewhat, as it feels more like a slow-burn rocker, and that makes it a unique track that works well in the middle of the album. It continues to solidify the theme that as a society if we don't come together nothing will be accomplished.
"Hurricane" is another huge favorite for me on this album in the midst of so many other great songs. This song is a musical masterpiece, as the guitar work in this one feels like it belongs in the classic rock age. Yeah, it's that good. The drum work here is also impressive, as it has to be fast paced on constantly shifting tempo. The lyrics are compelling in telling the listener that we are all responsible for the damage we have done to our world: "It’ll take a hurricane, to clean up all the mess we made/If we’re gonna fly this flag of peace, we’ll need you/We need to dig this up from the roots". Those lyrics only become more memorable because the chorus is freaking catchy; this is easily one of the most accessible songs on the album, and I can't help but love it. "Revolt" is a banger in the best way possible, pounding you with a wonderful metal assault. Long's scream's and Welsh's cleans feel more unbridled here than on some of the other tracks, and that only adds to the intensity. The breakdown present in this track is by far the best and most creatively executed on the album. "Civil Isolation" is one of the most interesting songs of the album, because instead of Long addressing society as whole, he's talking about his own feelings on society. The lyrics of this song feel all the more powerful for that reason: "Sick of our society/Sick of trying to fit inside a life I cannot lead/Sick of always following/Sick of trying to be another cog in their machine". I think that a lot of people will be able to identify with these lyrics, so it was a smart move for Long to frame them as personal. The way the instrumentals work with this song only serves to add to the song's intense subject matter. The album closes off in the grandly intense song "In Another Now", and leaves the album out on the best note possible.
While She Sleeps really blew me away with this album. The albums that I've loved this year have not always been the ones that I expected to love so much, and this album is another example of that reoccurring trend. This album is, no doubt in my mind, one of the best metalcore albums of the past decade, rivaling Demon Hunter's "Storm the Gates of Hell" and Fit for a King's "Slave to Nothing". The themes of the album are powerful and timely, and they don't come across as overly critical of one group; instead they are addressed towards everyone in these volatile times of American's divisive landscape. The musical aspects of this album are perfect in every way as well, as the listener is treated to memorable chorus after memorable chorus, fun guitar riffs that put a smile on my face, talented drum work, and powerful vocal work from both Long and Welsh. This has great possibility to be my favorite album of the year, as right now I can't imagine any other release coming out this year being better. I totally recommend listening to this absolute masterpiece!
Favorite Songs: "Steal the Sun", "Civil Isolation", "Silence Speaks", "Empire of Silence", "Hurricane", "Feel"
Least Favorite Songs: NONE
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