Company: Razor & Tie Release: 2015 Genre: Hard Rock Reviewer: Greg Watson
More accessible to non-metal fans
Massachussets metallers All That Remains return with "The Order of Things", a more hard rock offering that is full of catchy hooks, choruses and feels a bit more accessible to non-metal fans. With clean vocal singing dominating most of the album, I get the feeling that the band are continuing to try and expand their sound even more. Songs like "This Probably Won't End Well", "For You" and "Bite My Tongue" have a late 90's era hard rock feel to them while still incorporating the speed and heaviness that has been a trademark feature of ATR. That being said, there is still quite a punch packed into the tracks and the heavy portions of the song are monstrously heavy, like the breakdown on "Pernicious" and the groovefest that is "No Knock". The track "True Kvlt Metal" is easily the heaviest and fastest song on the album. When all was said and done with this one, I didn't hate it but I felt as though there was something missing from the album. The more streamlined and radio friendly songs seem to take away from the overall heaviness of the album and left me wanting a little more heavy riffs. The production, handled by Josh Wilbur on his first album with the band, was crisp. If you're looking for something catchy, easy to sing along to, and that you can bang your head periodically to, this has your name all over it.
