Genre: Metalcore
Label: Victory
Date of Release: March 19, 2013
BRUTAL METALCORE
Tear Out The Heart is a band name
that does quite well in defining the group's own sound: Loud and heavy,
although the music does have some softness to it. This quintet was founded in
2011 from St. Louis, Missouri, and they released two EP's; A self-titled one
within the same year of forming, and then "Hell Is Empty" in 2012.
They then struck a deal the same year with Victory Records, where bands such as
Emmure and A Day To Remember have also been signed to. Later on, the band's
first full-length album would follow in 2013 called "Violence," a
more-than-fitting title for one violent and explosive record.
Even though it is nothing special
for the heavy metalcore genre, the musicianship is nonetheless well-showcased.
The screamed vocals are highly aggressive and packed with utter hatred, while
the clean singing is resonant and just as powerful as the latter category. Both
sides are performed well, and they do a great job in delivering the anger and
emotion in the music respectively. The guitars, while mainly pertaining to the
dark riffs and chugs prominent in both the metalcore and deathcore genres, are
performed solidly. They also sound very powerful and explosive, thanks to the
production and mixing. They were done by Caleb Shomo, former vocalist of famed
metalcore band Attack Attack, and they do make the music sound more brutal and
massive. This all can also be applied to the drum work, which, although mostly
typical for the fast-paced metalcore scene, sounds very potent and thick,
giving the music a steel-solid skeleton to work off of. This album manages to
succeed in regards to both the musicianship and the mixing.
Hence the title "Violence," this album mostly consists of vigorous metalcore that toes on the line between brutality and melody. Overall, even though it gets a little generic and predictable throughout, the formula is carried out very strongly. For starters, the record overall brandishes a ton of gripping and memorable scenes that are worth putting on repeat. For an example, the ending and climax of the track "Only Posers Die" begins with a horror-toned and atmospheric moment with what sounds a tad like a xylophone for a music box effect, generating some nice build-up for what comes next. What comes next is a rather short but incredibly destructive breakdown that shatters your eardrums almost immediately after its bridge. This album is simply filled with great moments like this, and on top of that, they are structured very well too. In fact, the more melodic hardcore-esque parts in songs such as the title track and "Undead Anthem" do give the album a healthy sense of dynamic, even though they could use more flow. "Violence" proves to be a well-written metalcore piece with balance and explosiveness.
Although the lyrics aren't
totally noteworthy, being mostly the vehement lyrics commonly found with
metalcore and deathcore acts in general, what stands out aside from the music
is the the artwork. It was done by London illustrator Dan Mumford, who had also
made art for bands such as Parkway Drive, The Plot In You, and Scarlett O'Hara.
His work here is quite phenomenal, depicting a massive haunted mansion setting
with stormy skies, creepy crawlies, and other well-drawn out tidbits all over
the place. The lined details are sort of the artist's trademark when it comes
to the pieces he creates, and it really helps in making the objects, especially
the building, pop out more. On top of that, the artwork also suits the music
perfectly, in how dark and threatening both elements are. This is some great
artwork accompanied with some great music.
"Violence" is, all in
all, a very solid specimen of metalcore. Though it does have a few
shortcomings, they are only minor, especially in the face of all of the things
that work in the album. The musicianship is performed nicely, the songs are
structured very well, the artwork is stellar, and there are so many bits and
pieces of tracks that really know how and when to grab you. Overall, this
record may not be fantastic, but it is a highly enjoyable listen recommended
for metalcore, post-hardcore, and maybe even deathcore fans alike.
Score: 8/10 (Great)
