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Enter metalcore band All That Remains - a technically sound band that continues to improve over each of its first three albums. The band experienced some commercial exposure with its single “Six” as one of the lone master tracks of Guitar Hero II. ATR continued to enjoy a growing fanbase as its sound grew greater from album to album, and its new cd, Overcome, does not disappoint. It would be hard to rate Overcome over its previous album, The Fall of Ideals, though they do have a slightly different sound that provides an “apples and oranges” argument. Overcome seems like a splice of TFOI and the album before that, This Darkened Heart, and provides a sound that lovers of each album can appreciate.
1. Before The Damned - the album starts off with powerful drums and a slower sounding guitar rift and includes deeper-sounding growls that are rarely heard in The Fall of Ideals and This Darkened Heart, but includes a sweet-sounding chorus that shows the maturity of singer Philip Labonte and his clean vocals. A short track, just under 3 minutes, reminds us it is only an intro and there is more to come.
2. Two Weeks (available on Rock Band) - An obvious, noticable change from normal All That Remains, featuring a song that is mostly clean vocals. Sweet guitar riffs and a surprisingly melodic vocal effort that spans the entire song, it features underlying growls that reminds the listener not to expect and power ballads on this album.
3. Undone - A great, fast-paced heart-pumping song that is a perfect mixture of The Fall of Ideals and This Darkened Heart, leading to a great listen, including lyrics (naturally) about perseverance.
4. Forever In Your Hands - Vocally a softer song with firm guitar rifts and great drum work, but the ripping solo is really what helps this song stand out.
5. Chiron - Overcome’s first single, and not without reason. The song is powerful in its intro and combination of double bass and guitar before the vocals really make your heart jump. The transition of the metal sound into the acoustic interlude is surprisingly smooth before a solo shreds right back into metal.
6. Days Without - An solo to start of the song - once again drum work compiled with vocals makes for an intense song that begs not to be played at low volume.
7. A Song For The Hopeless - A song that somewhat seems lost in whether it is a ballad or if it wants to be metal, but somewhat smooth transistions ease the confusion.
8. Do Not Obey - A song that begins off fast with vocals, much like The Deepest Grey, with a smooth sounding chorus that separates it and features a nice sounding solo that is almost expected from All That Remains.
9. Relinquish - A “back to basics” sounding song devoid of clean vocals, but still rocks the way This Darkened Heart does.
10. Overcome - Much like Before the Damned, the titular track of the album is a short “outro”, but does not follow the fading process of an outro. All That Remains starts out fast and powerful in the album and is able to maintain it throughout the entire CD. A nice,medium-length solo sends us out right.
8/10