Gideon

Airtight and well-performed metallic hardcore with mindless chugga-chugga breakdowns into melodic parts and vice versa is what's on the menu. Christian mosh-fiends Gideon travel down a beaten path on Costs ― so beaten, in-fact, that thoughts of hundreds of bands that went before render the album alarmingly redundant. The ingredients: First Blood and Hatebreed mosh, Killswitch Engage dramelody, topped with suspiciously polished clean vocals and the obligatory melodramatic two-speed parts (where they fare the best), à la Comeback Kid. This lack of imagination and adventure are the most glaring problem with Costs. There's nothing wrong with applying musical elements that have become conventional to solidify a musical foundation, but if the structure is to last, a bit of creativity and risk should be added to the equation. It's unfortunate that the album's short intro track is the most exciting moment, threatening to take the listener on a ride that never develops.