WALLS OF JERICHO
“NO ONE CAN SAVE YOU FROM YOURSELF”
Album Review By Iron Mathew
7/10
Walls Of Jericho are a female fronted hardcore metal band from the USA formed in 1998, releasing three E.P.’s and four studio albums to date. 2016 sees the release of their fifth album.
It has been eight years since Walls Of Jericho last released an album, 2008’s ‘The American Dream’, and with the release of their fifth effort, it is almost like they have never been away. Aggression and brutality has not been lost. Opening the album is the ‘intro’ “US president issuing a state of martial law” emergency broadcast, which gives way to the awesomely heavy and attitude laden ‘Illusion Of Safety’. Metalcore is all about aggression, brutality and vicious moshing, so there is absolutely no surprises that ‘Illusion Of Safety’ delivers this. The title song ‘No One Can Save You From Yourself’ picks up speed and delivers a barrage of brutal riffs and aggressive, snarling vocals. Is that a “wall of death” I see forming in the pit?
Lyrically, the album deals with the current state of politics, but does not make a political statement. ‘Forever Militant’ is a thunderous stomp, that will have you stomping around the room like a mad man. Guitars thrash and vocals growl as ‘Forever Militant’ relentlessly romps on. ‘Fight The Good Fight’ has a scorching opening riff that owes more to traditional heavy metal than metalcore. That said, ‘Fight The Good Fight’ is aggressively sung and dare I say it, there is a very small amount of melody in there. The metalcore genre rarely has melody and this is the only song on the album that has any. With ‘Cutbird’ displaying similar traits to the previous songs on the album, ‘No One Can Save You From Yourself’ (the album) is in danger of becoming all too similar. But then metalcore has never been about the variety and the diverse…pounding, pulsating, mosh pit moshing and aggression is what this genre is all about.
The album takes a pleasing turn when ‘Relentless’ opens with various people chanting “I Am Relentless” each getting more and more aggressive with a whispering child’s voice chanting the last one. A slower tempo to begin with that soon turns into a barrage of high velocity brutality that is head bangingly superior to anything else on the album. The blistering pace continues in the shape of ‘Damage Done’ with a breakdown that will liven the mosh pit up. The growling, snarling, venomous vocal delivery is a highlight. ‘Reign Supreme’ opens in a much darker vein, with a sinister guitar sound, picking up the intensity and aggression as it rumbles on. ‘Wrapped In Violence’ is a very good description as the song is a violent volley of thrashy brutality and aggression.
There is that “heavy metal” style riffing again as ‘Anthem’ strides in and then races off amidst a furious flurry of aggression and attitude. Since ‘Relentless’ the album has again settled into similarity, songs sounding similar with only the lyrical content the difference. But, as I have mentioned previously, metalcore is the genre you put on if your soul purpose is to head bang yourself to oblivion. ‘Beyond All Praise’ will give you that opportunity as it is a hugely aggressive, in your face, attitude laden rampage. Wha…err,, what is that? Clean vocals over what sounds like acoustics! Is this a ballad? ‘Probably Will’ is a major departure from the rest of the album and the metalcore genre as a whole. It also shows that the singer has a versatile voice, adaptable to a different style as the delivery does not sound awkward or odd. A brave move and one that will surprise their legions of fans but also delight them too.
Overall, aggression, brutality and a violent barrage of fierce, frenetic, high intensity songs that will make you head bang your head right off your shoulders.
TRACKLIST
Intro
Illusion Of Safety
No One Can Save You From Yourself
Forever Militant
Fight The Good Fight
Cutbird
Relentless
Damage Done
Reign Supreme
Wrapped In Violence
Anthem
Beyond All Praise
Probably Will
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