Along The Shadow is Saosin's first full-length with original vocalist Anthony Green, and it friggin' rules. The screamo pioneers confidently return to their scene with a consistent, eclectic but cohesive mix of heavy alt-rock sounds that have collectively been defining our generation (millennials) since the band's formation in the early 2000s.
Many years in the making, Green's confident vocal cords, spurred by the fantastic production of Will Yip, are impeccable, giving the effect of a lucid Circa Survive dream that drifts in and out of nightmare just at the right time. He evens out the band's original lineup with guitarist Beau Burchell, bassist Chris Sorenson (who produced the rest of the album) and drummer Alex Rodriguez.
All the songs here are hard-hitting, and composed with a sharp ear for genre-melding. "The Silver String" reintroduces the band, contrasting their angst with forgiveness before "Ideology Is Theft" comes sweeping in with driven guitars and pounding drums that pave the way for vocal parts that dance between practiced and unchained. "Second Guesses" showcases a new triumphant vibe, while "Count Back From TEN" brings a more familiar Saosin feel to the record.
"The Secret Meaning of Freedom" takes pages from hardcore heroes like Comeback Kid and mixes them with the band's characteristic riffing, as Green's vocals drive the sound right to the depths of your heart: "I see myself / I see exactly what you wanted." "Old Friends" is the album's highlight, taking the band from their heaviest to softest in four perfectly paced minutes.
Perfectly written, recorded and performed, Along The Shadow is less an emo revival than a full-on reconstitution.
(Epitaph)Many years in the making, Green's confident vocal cords, spurred by the fantastic production of Will Yip, are impeccable, giving the effect of a lucid Circa Survive dream that drifts in and out of nightmare just at the right time. He evens out the band's original lineup with guitarist Beau Burchell, bassist Chris Sorenson (who produced the rest of the album) and drummer Alex Rodriguez.
All the songs here are hard-hitting, and composed with a sharp ear for genre-melding. "The Silver String" reintroduces the band, contrasting their angst with forgiveness before "Ideology Is Theft" comes sweeping in with driven guitars and pounding drums that pave the way for vocal parts that dance between practiced and unchained. "Second Guesses" showcases a new triumphant vibe, while "Count Back From TEN" brings a more familiar Saosin feel to the record.
"The Secret Meaning of Freedom" takes pages from hardcore heroes like Comeback Kid and mixes them with the band's characteristic riffing, as Green's vocals drive the sound right to the depths of your heart: "I see myself / I see exactly what you wanted." "Old Friends" is the album's highlight, taking the band from their heaviest to softest in four perfectly paced minutes.
Perfectly written, recorded and performed, Along The Shadow is less an emo revival than a full-on reconstitution.
