Band: xDeathstarx
Title: We Are The Threat
Label: Facedown
Release Date: 2.20.07
Review By: Josh IndieVision
Tracklisting:
01. Where’s Your Faith Now?
02. Burn Everything
03. We Are The Threat
04. The Wake
05. Decline Of The Western Civilization
06. Through Dead Eyes
07. The Great Opiate
08. City Of Lost Children
09. Because The Flesh Is Weak
10. Fallen Sons
11. Salvation
Members/Duties:
Eric Gregson: Vocals
Jason Keller: Vocals
J.R. Bermuda: Vocals
Ryan Gregson: Guitar
Corey Johnson: Guitar
Manny: Bass
Nick Smith: Drums
xDeathstarx, hailing from Redlands, California, may look like a gimmick but they’re not goofing around. The band’s larger than normal lineup, consisting of 3 vocalists, and 4 musicians certainly comes off as excessive, but needlessly so. Each player fills their role flawlessly on “We Are The Threat”. The band has certainly improved since past efforts and no doubt the recording is 100 times better. Eric Rachel really helped capture the bands ferocity, that past attempts have failed at presenting effectively.
Having 3 vocalists surely provides an audible onslaught with live performances, but tend to blend a bit on disc. You have to really pay attention to catch the different vocalists. However, for me the changes are enough and improve the overall energy and sound! It’s always nice when the band can produce a huge gang vocal out of it’s own members. The band even tosses in a few melodious moments such as the song chorus in “The Great Opiate”. Thankfully, in this situation the clean singing doesn’t come off as cheesy, as it has with other band’s, but genuinely adds to the draw of the song.
This cd wouldn’t be as great to me if it were not for the lyrics. Thankfully, we have a band who brings back the feelings of the “spirit-filled” hardcore days. Bold stands, in-your-face lyrics the band has no problems with calling out believers on their failures and emboldening those who need some encouragement. I wish more bands would speak out like this. There are various themes of faith and life presented. A few include: straight-edge lifestyle (“Because The Flesh Is So Weak”), standing against the world (“We Are The Threat”), and even politics/America “Decline Of The Western Civilization”). The band is bold, yet comes across as real and not overly preachy, which will increase the message’s influence. Facedown once again provides an album with a greater purpose than just musical entertainment and for that I say “Thanks” and even more so “keep it coming”.
Musically, the band pummels from start to finish. The band doesn’t allow themselves to get bogged down with overuse of some of the most thunderous breakdowns I’ve heard in quite awhile. The majority of the songs are quick-paced furious hardcore that just never seems to run out of energy. Yes, there’s plenty of chugga-chugga and plenty of breakdowns, but there’s enough variety to keep hardcore fans happy and non-hardcore fans from being bored. However, I would have liked to see more of the shredding sounds of “Fallen Sons”. A little more finger work on the guitar, never hurt anyone.
Overall Rating: Promoted as of “one of the heaviest band’s in Facedown’s history” and xDeathstarx have made good on that promise. It’s not heavy in a overly distorted way either, the songs just pound away at your ears without relent!
Standout Tracks: “Where’s Your Faith Now”, “We Are The Threat”, “City Of Lost Children”
Marketability: While not the best album this genre has to offer, it’s a brutal and enjoyable romp. Music that will force you to move and lyrics that will encourage.
Similar To: Throwdown, Figure Four, Hatebreed, First Blood
Website
Myspace
Purevolume
Facedown Records
Buy: Facedown Store