By: James Southworth
Rating: 3/5 Stars
I always talk about how I love finding bands that are doing interesting and innovative stuff within the metalcore genre. For every generic and awful act within this music style, there is a band that stays true to the style while still being original. That has been the case with Blessthefall for their whole career. I got into them around the time of "Hollow Bodies" (still my favorite album by them), and I've been hooked ever since. Beau Bokan is an excellent clean vocalist, having a higher vocal register that doesn't come across as annoying. Jared Warth also brings plenty of intensity with his unclean vocals. This band has had a very solid album run, with "To Those Left Behind" doing a good job of what "Hollow Bodies" started. It also progressed the band's sound in a promising direction. This new release, "Hard Feelings", has the band opting for a more hard rock/electronic based route. The metalcore aspect is at a bare minimum. This creates an album that doesn't has a mix of great moments as well as many disappointing ones.
I was very concerned about BTF upon hearing that they'd signed to Rise Records. This label has taken almost all its metalcore acts and made them follow the same formula. Almost every band on this label plays it way too safe, and creates content that has a sense of artificiality. Any band that does something original on this label often ends up leaving. I have a feeling it's because the label stifles their creativity. This isn't necessarily the case with Blessthefall's new release. In fact, this album gets off to a very promising start with what is easily one of the best songs on the album, "Wishful Sinking". This track boasts the band's classic sound in every sense of the word. It refines it through some technically proficient production. I love the atmospheric electronics that begin this track before it bursting into some memorable guitar work. Beau's vocals are at an all time best in this song; it's really soaring throughout, especially in the chorus which will easily hook you in. I also couldn't help but appreciate the water symbolism, as that has been a trademark of the band from the beginning. The electronic breakdown was very unexpected, but it's masterfully done and made me love this song all the more. "Find Yourself" is also a pretty good song, although it's not one of the more memorable. It's once again the chorus that stands out, as Beau utilizes his high vocal range to his advantage. I think you'd have to be extremely critical to not like "Cutthroat". This song was a highlight for me right away, as it brings back the band's intensity in an awesome way. I liked the album "To Those Left Behind", but it didn't have any tracks quite as intense at this one. I love how aggressive Bokan is being, as this is not his usual style. I only wish there had been more songs of this intensity on the release.
The second half of this release has some solid tracks as well. "Keep Me Close" is a seriously haunting track, and it's probably my favorite on the album. Clocking in at almost five minutes, this song is actually a bit unpredictable and keeps you on your toes. The lyrics in this pack a lot of emotional weight, as well: "Remember me/She whispered 'Heaven’s so far out of reach'/Keep me close/Like a moment you’re afraid to leave/So now this is how it feel/When you’re all alone". I like how this song shifts pace frequently. It has a ballad-like start, before going into a soaring rock chorus. About two minutes or so in, there's a surprising but effective breakdown, before the song shifts back to the ballad structure. I think the constant changing of styles in this song actually helps you pay attention to the powerful lyrics. This is probably one of my favorite BTF songs to date. They do a great job here of utilizing their own formula, while putting effective manipulations in it. "Sakura Blues" is an intriguing track, having a distorted piano playing in the beginning. This made me lean forward in my seat. I like the somewhat off-kilter vibe this song has. The chorus isn't catchy in a way that you would expect. However, it still has an interesting way of getting stuck in your head.
Unfortunately, for all the legitimately good stuff on this album, there is a lot of content that is legitimately bad. The bad content has me worried for what this band could look like in the future if they stay on Rise Records. While the positives on this album can't be denied, the negatives really bring this release down. "Feeling Low" annoys the heck out of me, as it utilizes electronics in the worst way possible: vocal manipulation. Hearing Beau's voice have electronic effects put on it in the chorus is criminal to me, as his voice is just fine without them. It's clearly meant to be trend-hopping, as so much of metalcore is adopting this right now. This track will certainly feel outdated in the future, and the lyrics are surprisingly bad. But the worst song on the album, and maybe my least favorite BTF song ever, is "Melodramatic". Lord, is this song generic. This is the typical Risecore breakup song, and it's infuriating in every way possible. The band specifically chose this song as the lead single because it is so safe. Safe in every sense of the word. There's not a thing I like about this song, as every band member sounds like they're on automatic. The chorus doesn't hook you in, and the verses are paint-by-numbers in expressing feelings about an ex-girlfriend. "I'm Over Being Under(rated)" is a little obnoxious to me, as Beau expresses how he thinks BTF deserves more attention. I've always felt this band was pretty popular even outside the metalcore scene, so I'm not sure why this song was necessary. It just felt more like it was pandering to the generic idea of rising above obstacles. "Sleepless in Phoenix" is highly unmemorable, and checks off every box for filler. "Welcome Home" is a earnest closer (and I like its cute ending with Bokan's son singing the chorus of the song), but it didn't do that much for me in general.
Overall, I wouldn't call "Hard Feelings" a bad album by any means. I think fans of other Rise bands will generally enjoy this release, and I think that BTF fans will enjoy a lot of what this album has to offer. If you told me you liked this album, I would totally understand. I would also understand if you told me that you hated it. For every great track on this release, there is one that is rather bland and generic. I don't want Blessthefall to become a generic Rise act, and strip away all the things that made them an interesting metalcore band. I tend to be biased to rock, and that's primarily what this album is. The problem is it can follow the cliches of radio rock unashamedly. I do still recommend this album, though, as I think there's enough solid material to enjoy. There just may be a couple you'll want to skip.
Favorite Songs: "Keep Me Close", "Wishful Sinking", "Cutthroat", "Sakura Blues"
Least Favorite Songs: "Melodramatic", "Feeling Low", "Over Being Under(rated)"
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