out this Friday: Downpour (review by MMB)

Downpour

Downpour

September 7th, 2018

Downpour takes the contemporary American hard rock sound—groove metal, hardcore, and metalcore—to some different places, ones with some twists and turns.

Where is the contemporary hard rock American sound in Downpour? The first song “The Serpent’s Tongue” is the band giving the lay of the land. Heavy stop-start chugging, and American hardcore scream-shout-yell, perfect for the Middle American that likes to nod their head while holding the Budweiser. Imagine the young Pantera fan grown up, possibly married/divorced, but still rocking, looking for the heavy groove that has always has attracted them to beer and hard rock. The young Slipknot and metalcore kid of yesteryear now has a couple of children, but still likes rock music. Sometimes being a mom and dad takes it out of you, and Downpour would be a nice change of pace from all that children’s music. The anger of Downpour expresses, for said rock fans, the personal struggles with depression or anger management or the need to get away from the kids and the spouse for a while.

Do you remember Shadows Falls, the American metalcore-thrash band from years ago? That band is over, but you may be interested to know that Brian Fair, former vocalist for said band, is taking care of the microphone duties on here.

Downpour is simple heavy music. Hardcore and groove is the pillar of the sound. Yet, that is not the whole picture. Downpour has another side that might be unexpected. Downpour has a melodic side, something like a post-rock, alternative vibe going on. At times it sounds like a post-1990s alternative sound and at other times it comes across as a post-rock, post-hardcore spirit, like musicians who could play groove and hardcore all the livelong day if they so desired, but they want some melody, some mellow moments, too, at this point in their musical development. For example, Brian Fair can yell as he always has done, but he is making an effort to add melody and to sing more. Who says that an old dog cannot learn new tricks?!

Don’t judge a book by the cover of groove and hardcore. There is more than that here.

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