Search - Four Year Strong :: Rise Or Die Trying

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pancake_repairman | gfjdhgfjhgj | 11/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"They seem destined to be judged on surface impressions and lost in the shuffle of b-list power-pop emo bands but this is a band that transcends their genre like few others. Rather than following their peers in tempering their enthusiasm to make more rehearsed sounding music or just erratically spazzing out they've harnessed and focussed their frantic energy as a songwriting tool, throwing in all manner of musical flourishes, pinch harmonics, high bpm fill-filled drumming and vocals that are shouted as much as sung, but in a way that compliments and builds on a central rhythmmic/melodic flow rather than descending into experimental song structures. The way they write such intricate compositions but always keep catchy pop melodies as a first priority puts them in league with Coheed And Cambria. You're not likely to hear a more energetic melodic vocal performance anywhere. The few metalcore influenced parts are what lets the band down as they're handled generically and especially in terms of vocals something this band just isn't any good at. It's still my fave album of 2007 though."