Label: Solid State
Release Date: 3/13/2012
Reviewed by: Dan Allen
MyChildren MyBride: MyChildren MyBride
MyChildren MyBride have been on the scene for awhile now, and thanks to their insane live performances, have made a decent name for themselves in the metalcore world. The one thing that has always been lacking was a really high-quality studio album. That is no longer the case. With their self-titled release MCMB have put out a recording that finally captures just how good this band really is.
A self-titled album is always an interesting thing, especially when it is not the bands first release. It gives me the impression that the band is wanting to start fresh, define who they are and make things clear moving forward. It always seems as if the band takes more pride in the self-titled album since it carries their name… twice. With that being said, I had high hopes for MCMBs third Solid State release, and I was not disappointed.
This album, more than MCMB’s previous releases, has a moshcore vibe to it. It is an engaging brutal album, that makes you feel like you want to be part of it, like you have to get up and bang your head. The intro track is a nice build up to the first actual song ‘On Wings of Integrity Part II’ which is an awesome opening song. It is hard and heavy, but fun. It has an anthem feel to it, with group screaming parts and some guitar and screamer only build up parts. It feels very hardcore, but there are also songs, like ‘God of Nothing’, that feel much more metal. That song has some really creepy elements both instrumentally and vocally.
Lyrically the album is pretty solid. There was only one glaring exception to this. The song ‘SAMCRO’. When I heard the lyrics I literally laughed at their cheesiness. There is a part in the song where the lyrics “friends are the families we choose for ourselves” are repeated several times. That phrase sounds like it should be in a picture frame in my mom’s kitchen, not in a metal song. But, other than that one slip up, the album has some really great lyrics. The very next song, ‘Dreamcatcher’ is a great example of the darker, more interesting lyrics that the rest of the album offers. I particularly like the part in that song where it says “if dreams can come true, I’m sure nightmares can too.”
MCMB’s self-titled album shows some serious musical maturity over their former releases. Finally bringing the quality of recording and sound out of the studio was a huge plus for this album. The lyrics show a band that is generally moving beyond the traditionally two-dimensional lyrics of young Christian metal bands. The variation on the album from almost pure hardcore to pure metal, really shows the range of the band’s talents. The way that the whole thing is woven together makes for a really great album experience. In a time where people seem more into singles, it is nice to hear an album that has a cohesion and musically takes the listener on a journey. This is one of those albums. Each song feels like a chapter in a book as opposed to a set of short stories. This is a book you won’t want to put down. I was quite satisfied with this album.
Highlights: On Wings of Integrity Part II, God of Nothing, Dreamcatcher
Grade: 4.5/5
Track List:
1. Morpheus
2. On Wings of Integrity Part II
3. Anathema
4. God of Nothing
5. The Endless
6. SAMCRO
7. Dreamcatchers
8. Black Cloud
9. Hell or High Water
10. Observer
11. No One Listens, No One Cares
