Reviewed by Greg Sammons

2005 was a huge year for the buzz-genre that blurs the boundaries between the two hardest and heaviest of musical styles, metal and hardcore. Metalcore (see what they've done there?) gave us some of the best music of 2005, and along with Bloodlined Calligraphy and As I Lay Dying, Still Remains were at the very head of the pack. Produced by the legendary GGGarth Richardson, the band's Roadrunner Records debut blends elements of the Gothenburg bands with the unrelenting passion of metalcore's finest. Added to that is an extra layer in the addition of keyboards/synth. This is a band that is not just here to jump on the band wagon, although they do seem to have fallen into the trap of wearing all the fash-core clobber, they have something useful to say and seem to mean it. Standout tracks for me come in the shape of "White Walls" and "Cherished", although it is the un-necessarily pessimistic "The Worst Is Yet To Come" that was the lead single. That is my one bone of contention, for a band who are so clearly inspired by their faith, at times their lyrics aren't exactly positive. However all is redeemed on "Cherished" which after confessing "heaven help us, we're only human" vocalist TJ Miller screams out "more, more, more of you, more of you!", a blatantly desperate and heartfelt cry for more of God's presence in his life. The vocalist is strong, more diverse than most although perhaps not as powerful as some, and the keyboards add to the duelling guitars to produce a great overall sound that often raises above the average to the excellent.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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