Rise And Fall

While it's easy for merely solid releases to slip through the cracks in one of the most prolific years for heavy music in recent memory, Rise and Fall's sophomore effort is just good enough to contribute something worthwhile to Deathwish's already impressive string of recent offerings. While not as unique as Lewd Acts or as hook-laden as Doomriders, Rise and Fall have improved upon the modest Integrity worship of Into Oblivion with a cohesive collection of songs that plays to their strengths by incorporating increased atmosphere and melodic elements. While fans of other Deathwish acts, Cursed, Tragedy and the like have heard all of this before, it's still rendered with obvious passion and an understanding of dynamics that most hardcore bands can only imitate. There is a darker, more contemplative vibe to the material that would appeal to fans of Modern Life is War or Lifelong Tragedy, while steering clear of overt youth crew influences or clichéd "posi" content, in all its uninspired forms. While their overt dedication to their influences is a blemish on the record's replay value, Rise and Fall have taken a big step in the right direct and look ready to hammer it home on the next release.