Album Review: Bleeding Through - 'Bleeding Through'

Forget genre labelling and specific musical assertions this self-titled album can be characterised solely as one thing, ‘heavy’ – heavy in delivery, heavy in structure and heavy in resonance. Bleeding Through’s brutal approach to song writing coupled with a consistent and abrasive sincerity sees the band stamp themselves as the closest modern day version we have to Slayer.

While 2006’s ‘The Truth’ was arguably Bleeding Through’s strongest moment, earmarking them as one of the contemporary heavyweights of a saturated metalcore genre, the band’s next effort, fifth studio album ‘Declaration’ seemed to tread water thanks largely to an indifferent album mix. Thankfully, on this eponymous album, the sound is crisp and polished, juxtaposing a clean resonance with the band’s ‘rough around the edges’ musical approach.

In the two years between this latest offering and its predecessor, Bleeding Through has certainly undergone construction – a new guitarist, Dave Nassie, and a new record label, Rise Records.

Self-titled and studio album six, this twelve track release certainly will not alienate nor will it scream of being uninspired. The down-tuned breakdowns are still highly present, as are the mosh parts, thrash styled riffs, and machine gun double kick work. Moreover, the subtle black metal influence the band cultivated in the past, namely on ‘Declaration’ is more prevalent than ever before. Perhaps we can view Bleeding Through as the frontrunners of a new sub-genre, ‘Black Metalcore’.

‘Your Abandonment’ might just be one of 2010’s best metal tracks thanks to the agency of some solid riffs, haunting keys and a driving thrash musical agenda. ‘Fifteen Minutes’ will appease the old-school fans with its strong hardcore themes and well-placed breakdowns while ‘Anti-Hero’ is signature Bleeding Through. The clean vocals are more dispersed and less common on album six, however, bass player Ryan Wombacher gets to give his vocal chords a good testing (see exhibit a: Salvation Never Found).

As long as bands like Bleeding Through remain, metal’s future will always be assured. Impressive.

There must be something to Orange County’s ‘sun and surf’ lifestyle that seems to aid the fruition of heavy music. Album number six is easily the equal of any of Bleeding Through’s previous efforts, if not their finest moment yet. Listeners take note; this is how you go about creating unrelenting music.

1. A Resurrection

2. Anti-Hero

3. Your Abandonment

4. Fifteen Minutes

5. Salvation Never Found

6. Breathing in the Wrath

7. This Time Nothing is Sacred

8. Divide the Armies

9. Drag Me To the Ocean

10. Light My Eyes

11. Slow Your Roll

12. Distortion, Devotion