Rough Edge: All That Remains CD Reviews

ALL THAT REMAINS

"A War You Cannot Win" (Razor & Tie; 2012)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

This is the sixth disc from All That Remains and they've matured their sound a lot. They've also taken a step back and offered up a twelve song buffet of heavy metal, melodic metal core and radio-friendly tracks. Philip Labonte is known for having clean and angry vocals on a track; it gives the song two dimensions. On "A War You Cannot Win" there are more clean vocals that gruff. There are even acoustics. It's really a mixed bag of great stuff. If you're looking to get scalped with Philip's vocals then you might be a bit surprised.

The guitar is heavy with plenty of gritty riffs and bone-snapping solos, the drums are akin to a stomping beast -- when those two power up you'd had better eaten a hearty meal cause you're going to burn it off whilst headbanging.

The disc starts off heavy and begins to fade in the middle. It still has plenty of staying power and don't be put off by the melodies. Philip has a great voice so I say let him sing.

All That Remains: Philip Labonte - lead vocals; Oli Herbert - lead guitar; Mike Martin - rhythm guitar; Jeanne Sagan - bass guitar, backing vocals; Jason Costa - drums.

For more information check out: http://allthatremainsonline.com/.

"Overcome" (Prosthetic / Razor & Tie; 2008)

Reviewed by Jeff Rogers

This is the fourth head-splitting CD from All That Remains and it's my first peek into their melodic metalcore style. I like what I hear mainly because the guitar is ever present and guitar solos bridge the song structure at every turn. The drums machine gun their way through the songs while Philip Labonte "Jekyll and Hyde's" his way all over the track. Sometimes he sings and sometimes he peels back his face and lets the animal growl.

I feel a progressive style seeping from each song and, although the songs change direction, the music is still good enough to keep you listening. They don't try to canvas their sound but I think they are pushing a different style from previous efforts. I did go back and listen to "The Fall of Ideals" and this is not just part two but a step up from that. The music is fast and furious and those who require a blistering guitar solo will love each fret-shredding offering.

A couple of tracks from this disc, "Two Weeks" and "Chiron," were made available for download on Rock Band so if you want to break from the default give those two a listen. Fans of Diecast, Shadows Fall and The Acacia Strain will find a relation with All That Remains.

All That Remains: Philip Labonte ? vocals; Mike Martin ? guitar; Oli Herbert ? guitar; Jeanne Sagan ? bass; Jason Costa ? drums.

For mroe information, check out http://www.allthatremainsonline.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/allthatremains.

"The Fall of Ideals" (Razor & Tie; 2006)

Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton

"The Fall of Ideals" is a complex and energetic CD that, to paraphrase Motorhead's Lemmy Kilmister, you don't want to dance to or you'll fuck yourself up.

Built on a foundation of blast beats and double bass (courtesy Shannon Lucas, a freaking great drummer), "The Fall of Ideals" soars with strong songwriting, tight musicianship and an energy level that's hard to beat. And, as Mr. Kelter notes below, there are guitar solos, good ones, that appear when the song needs them and not just because someone decided to start wailing.

Despite the fact that the first thing you'll notice on "The Fall of Ideals" is the killer drums, the CD is really guitar-driven more than anything else. "The Fall of Ideals" is loaded with driving riffs, chunky and/or spiky notes and, again, lead solos that are fast and furious and, more importantly, appropriate to the song.

Plus, the band continues to be unafraid of exploring. Take track six, wisely entitled "Six," for example, which sounds a little like the classic "Flight of the Bumblebee" on crack. Listen to that song with headphones turned up to 10 and your head will be spinning for days.

The vocals often have the death metal / hardcore growl to them but, like the guitar solos, they seem appropriate to the songs and therefore don't take long to get used to.

Overall, "The Fall of Ideals" is a very solid record from All That Remains and a CD that should please their fans and bring aboard new ones as well.

All That Remains: Phil Labonte -Vocals; Mike Martin - Guitars; Oli Herbert - Guitars; Shannon Lucas - Drums; Jeanne Sagan - Bass.

For more information, check out http://www.allthatremainsonline.com.

"Behind Silence & Solitude" (Metal Blade/Prosthetic; 2002)

Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter

All That Remains is fronted by ex-Shadows Fall frontman Philip Labonte and features ex-members of Scattered Remnants. Even though I hadn't listened to the Shadow's Fall debut in some time it was not hard to hear the similarities between All That Remains and Shadows Fall. Both bands balance European melodies and North American determination.

Songwriting seems to be a particular strength of All That Remains. There are plenty, but not too many, changes and curveballs to keep the songs from being weighed down by simplicity or repetition. "Clarity" features straight-ahead metal while "Follow" lets the band's hardcore influences shine through. The dynamic aggression of "One Belief" is a great way to end the CD. Additionally, I like the fact that there are guitar solos to be heard, not unlike Shadows Fall, but these solos are a bit smoother and melodic not to mention just a tad bit more dramatic.

"Behind Silence & Solitude" is a solid record that could be enjoyed by the various fans of the many forms of metal. Fans of Shadows Fall, At The Gates, Lamb Of God, and Darkest Hour will like what All That Remains has to offer. Also, kudos to Prosthetic Records, hot off their signing and stellar promotion of Lamb Of God, to give All That Remains the opportunity to reach the metal masses.

"Behind Silence & Solitude" was produced by Zeuss and All That Remains.

All That Remains: Philip Labonte on vocals, Oli Herbert and Chris Bartlett on guitars, Dan Egan on bass, and Mike Bartlett on drums.

For more information visit http://www.allthatremains.cc.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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