Band: Trenches
Title: The Tide Will Swallow Us Whole
Label: Solid State
Release Date: 9/16/2008
Review By: JoshIVM
Tracklisting:
01. Calling
02. Eyes Open
03. Sacrament
04. Trip the Landmine
05. Pathways
06. Bittersweet
07. Call It Correct
08. End
09. Ocean Currents
10. Cornered
Everyone who is familiar with Solid State Records knows who Jimmy Ryan is. In fact, most people who are into metalcore will probably know he is as well. A few years back he was the frontman for the popular metalcore act Haste The Day. Since leaving the band he went on to work for his former label and apparently decided it wasn’t time for him to put music behind him. Rumors began emerging that he had formed a new group and music would be coming soon. That group became Trenches and the music is something you really need to hear.
“Calling” wastes no time showing off the ferocious side of this band. The guitars are tuned low and sound huge and Jimmy’s vocals sound better than they ever have! The low end and drums are superb as well. I must first off mention how good the production of this album is. It captures the fullness of their sound in complete detail! Anyways, the song gets very light after the initial parts and focuses more on simpler guitar patterns for a bit. There is an eerily sung part about a minute and fifteen seconds in with multiple layered vocals that adds a cool vibe. The songs stays heavy from pretty much that point on. We see the use of a guitar solo, but more like a band just jamming rather than a “see-how-fast-I-can-shred” type of sound. “Eyes Open” begins quietly almost with an indie vibe. This does not sound like a metal band in the least, but that’s the beauty of Trenches. They lure you in and then as the music builds around you they unleash all they have. The use of opposing screams works great here. “Sacrament” chugs along and I’ll have to be honest and admit that I was hoping for it to speed up. Instead it follows the similar patterns of the previous two tracks (which isn’t to say it’s a bad thing). “Trip The Landmines” reminds me of “White Pony” era Deftones, but with more power. “Bittersweet” is a long track, topping seven minutes and really highlights the instrumental side of the band. The bass lines are thick and guitars atmospherically laced over top. It is a pretty incredible song and is surprisingly more rock oriented than metal. “End” is the heaviest track and one of my favorites. It’s a bit faster and more chaotic than the others and was a welcomed change from the tracks around it. “Cornered” is the longest track running in at just over thirteen minutes and covers the complete spectrum of the bands sound. I really like the guitar parts towards the end of the main section of the song.
Overall: The only thing I knew not to expect from the band was another Haste The Day, but from there who knew where Jimmy would venture in the metal realm. With Trenches he’s opted for what some might call post-metal. It is a wall of sound and is grand and imposing, yet it has flaws. I wish there was a bit more speed at times as well as more technicality. I like the vibe but it lacked appeal at times and I found myself bored in certain spots. However those moments were thankfully short-lived! I think the album is impressive and Solid State was wise to pick this band up! It delivers a very different sound from the rest of the roster. The potential of this band is bigger than I had expected and you definitely need to give this album a shot!
Standout Tracks: “End”, “Bittersweet”, “Sacrament”
Links:
Myspace
Solid State
Buy: Tower Records