Album Review :
Within - The End is Near, Consider Yourself Warned

Band: Within
Title: The End Is Near; Consider Yourself Warned
Label: Strike First
Release Date: 7/11/06
Review By: Josh IndieVision

Tracklisting:

01. If This Means Death…
02. Letter To Mary I
03. In Suffering My Joy Is Obtained
04. Adoration
05. Devour The Weak
06. Rejoice, And Again I Say Rejoice
07. Letter To Mary II
08. Victory Comes In The Mourning
09. Moment Of Desperation
10. Persecution Brings Prophesy

Members/Duties:

Casey Whitaker: Vocals
Chad Whitaker: Drums
Chris Whitaker: Guitar
Andy Goodner: Bass
Zak Willbanks: Guitar

This band came out of nowhere and have instantly become one of my favorite cd’s as of late. Within comes from good ole Chattanooga, TN and bringing with them some straight up rock & roll, with a dash of Southern goodness. At first I assumed that this band would be another more straightforward metalcore group but the cd certainly changed my mind on that. By listening to the cd you’ll hear hints of metal, dashes of ‘core, some poppy rock, and definitely southern influenced rock. The album is a beautiful assortment of all these styles and it flows perfectly.

“If This Means Death…” kicks off with a quick pace, guitar harmonizing solos, and a solid backbone of bass and drums. Casey’s vocals are screamed throughout most of the song. About halfway through the song we get to see some more sweet guitar work, amidst a breakdown which leads into a surprisingly placed deeper vocal approach. “Letter To Mary I” is a pretty little instrumental that gives you a quick break before “In Suffering My Joy Is Obtained” begins. This track is faster than the first and is maintained with a steady punk-like drum beat. A true guitar solo is placed at about the 2 minute mark, complete with it’s southern flair. The song continues on pace-wise but the vocals are then changed to a cleanly sung vocal, before heading into a metallic breakdown reminiscent of The Showdown.

“Adoration” has the potential to be the breakout track. It is the first single/video off of the album and can be heard at the links at the bottom of this review. One of my favorite tracks is “Victory Comes In The Mourning” which starts off very softly and slowly builds and builds to a screamed midsection. The music is epic and beautiful.

I can’t get enough of this band! I certainly was not expecting this release to hit me like it did. I heard the first single and knew I liked it but they refuse to be held down by genres and I’m thankful for that. They give me the doses I need of each style and somehow create an overall sound using each. I recommend for everyone that reads this to go out and buy this album!!!

Standout Tracks:

“Adoration”, “Victory Comes In The Mourning”,

Overall Rating: Completely blown away by this debut release! Within blends styles seamlessly and better than 95% of other genre blending bands out there. In an instant they go from a deep vocal crushing breakdown to a beautiful melody, like it was nothing. I am looking forward to catching this band in concert as soon as I can. A must own release.

Individual Ratings:

Album Art/Design: A very small, simple booklet. I did enjoy the fact that written in bold print inside was the dedication of the album to the Lord Jesus Christ. I was glad to see a band openly stating where they stand.

Lyrics: Topics include knowledge of God’s promises and protection (“Victory Comes In The Mourning”), Heaven (“Persecution Brings Prophesy”), and various other aspects of life & Christianity. They are an encouragement to read and think about.

Marketability: Southern is in. Metalcore is in. All the genres Within fit into are all big right now. Within has the ability to capture fans in most markets and that is a rarety. Look forward to see if these guys get big!

Production: I really enjoyed the sound of this release. All styles were captured well. I’m excited to see what future releases can bring in the form of production as well.

Vocals: I am very impressed with Casey’s ability to go from singing to growls in a flash. That’s a talent I’ve always like in vocalists but it is a rare thing to perform them both (and everything in between) equally well.

Similar To: Beloved, Thrice, Chasing Victory, As Cities Burn

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