Album Review :
This Armistice - (New Breath + New Heartbeat) = Change
Band: This Armistice
Title: (New Breath + New Heartbeat) = Change
Label: N/A
Release Date: 2009
Review By: Scott L
Tracklisting:
- Nyle
- Bullet Hole In Concrete
- (New Breath + New Heartbeat) = Change
- Signs
- With Clarity
- Practice What You Preach
- Start With The Sails
This Armistice is a 4-piece out of Kingsland, Georgia. From the opening instrumental, I thought I was in for a musical journey along the lines of Future Of Forestry , but after that initial hundred and seven seconds, these guys quickly settled into a somewhat more humdrum brand of emotive rock. And by that I mean that This Armistice sounds a whole lot like early Emery… minus most of the screaming. I think that with some time to mature and a bit more creativity, This Armistice could make a name for themselves. That’s not to imply that they aren’t capable musicians or that the EP wasn’t enjoyable. They are and it was. It’s just that the glimpses of their potential tended to overshadow everything else. You can see what they’re reaching for, it’s just that they need to climb up another rung on the ladder to get there.
Sonically, the mix was pretty good. A bit hollow in spots, but all in all the production and packaging were both good. The front cover was a little underwhelming… at least compared to the back cover, which was pretty cool. Having lyrics was nice for a do it yourself indie release.
Speaking of lyrics, the messages in the five non-instrumental tracks aren’t overly evangelistic… but they don’t shy away from the reality of God’s presence and interaction with humanity. Consider “Bullet Holes In Concrete” which says, “desperate screams at the scene of desperate need / I’ve got a heck of a lot to say / this wasn’t your choice to make / please say the fight’s all over for us / and we should be ashamed / of tearing down our families good name / cause if home is where the heart belongs / then we’re dead wrong / God are you really there”. Or how about the song “With Clarity” which says, “I am reading the lines / we’re here to guide the blind / and you believe it’s wrong / just let me tell you / the sky is your proof / just let me help you / we’re finding the truth / your heavy eyes show us signs / just let me tell you / the sky is your breath / of a heavy heart inside / just let me help you / with finding the truth”.
The standout track was “Practice What You Preach” which is a brooding tune about the danger of sacrificing your integrity and reputation on the alter of carnal desires. It’s a call to let faith alone sustain us.
Overall: If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the guys in Emery should be sincerely flattered. This Armistice has the chops, but if they want to be more than an Emery tribute band, they’re gonna need to find themselves in their music. And when that happens… look out. Still, this is a decent enough release in it’s own right and one that’s well worth checking out.
www.myspace.com/enjoyta