Modern Life Is War - Witness
Modern Life Is War caused quite a splash in hardcore circles with their distinctive debut, "My Love. My Way.", a blend of hardcore attitude with post hardcore pacing and melodic riffing
that burned at the touch with its sincere passion. This follow up album brings this same approach to bear with noticeably better production and a better overall energy level than the
sometimes spotty debut.
Like their last record, this latest effort brings an intricate tightrope walk of furious hardcore and delicate, riff heavy softer passages popularized by post hardcore greats like Grade and Shai Hulud but infuses them with bigger melodies not unlike Hot Water Music. This distinct blend, combined with the urgent vocals, makes for many cathartic moments that would never be possible if they played straight hardcore but also means the energy in each song can shift into slower territory, never quite delivering the full punch a great hardcore song can do. Still, there are a million hardcore bands out there and there's nothing quite like Modern Life Is War.
While almost every song is solid there's only one truly drop dead standout, the scorching sing along "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.". Like their last record with the song "Clarity", this song is heads and tales above the others and shows, in ever so briefly a fashion, how it's not hard to see these guys becoming one of the biggest bands in hardcore if they stick it out. If they had an album full of songs that matched the energy of songs like these it wouldn't even be a contest. As it stands now, there's still quite a few numbers that, while still good, just don't stick with you like their very best songs do.
This band has a lot of promise considering they're really just kids and already have two great records under their belt. Their mature, sophisticated approach to the music belies their age and will certainly get only better with time. Only the future will tell if they break into the ranks of the truly great post hardcore/hardcore bands but they have everything in place to do so.
Like their last record, this latest effort brings an intricate tightrope walk of furious hardcore and delicate, riff heavy softer passages popularized by post hardcore greats like Grade and Shai Hulud but infuses them with bigger melodies not unlike Hot Water Music. This distinct blend, combined with the urgent vocals, makes for many cathartic moments that would never be possible if they played straight hardcore but also means the energy in each song can shift into slower territory, never quite delivering the full punch a great hardcore song can do. Still, there are a million hardcore bands out there and there's nothing quite like Modern Life Is War.
While almost every song is solid there's only one truly drop dead standout, the scorching sing along "D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.". Like their last record with the song "Clarity", this song is heads and tales above the others and shows, in ever so briefly a fashion, how it's not hard to see these guys becoming one of the biggest bands in hardcore if they stick it out. If they had an album full of songs that matched the energy of songs like these it wouldn't even be a contest. As it stands now, there's still quite a few numbers that, while still good, just don't stick with you like their very best songs do.
This band has a lot of promise considering they're really just kids and already have two great records under their belt. Their mature, sophisticated approach to the music belies their age and will certainly get only better with time. Only the future will tell if they break into the ranks of the truly great post hardcore/hardcore bands but they have everything in place to do so.
