Scars of Tomorrow’s The Failure in Drowning is their third release in a mere 13 months, as the band released a full-length last October and reissued a compilation of their elder work entitled The Beginning Of earlier this year on Thorp . Their first Victory Records release, Rope Tied to the Trigger was a typical metalcore album that was a tad bit too generic. The Horror of Realization was a marginal improvement, but the album was packed with filler and had no lasting power. Is the third time the charm for this metalcore band?

Well, while the album is an improvement, it’s still nothing remarkable, suffering from the same problems that hindered their previous releases. Almost every song follows the same structure and incorporates the same elements, leading into an entirely monotonous listening experience. It’d be nice to see something different, like a few solos, but the album finds a pattern and sticks to it. Every song finds these guys playing generic metalcore with an occasional melodic riff thrown in, then some clean vocals around the chorus, ending with a breakdown.

One of the improvements over their prior releases is the vocals. While the clean vocals always came close to being sung, they finally actually sing in several of the choruses, which leads to a few enjoyable moments on tracks like “The Unwinding” and “Lost in the Moment.”

One of the biggest disappointments here however is the drumming. It simply sounds awful, with the double-bass sounding entirely weak and more like an old typewriter than the powerful force it should be. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but since every song utilizes it nearly every single second, it keeps the album from achieving the chaotic feel it could have and instead creates a frail rhythm section making the songs sound uneven in the mix.

I’m sure The Failure in Drowning will appeal to fans of the genre, but the album is still entirely disposable and forgettable. Every song follows the same formula and sounds the same, the drumming is horrendous, and the album rarely produces any memorable moments. While it could be worse, it’s still just another reason people will hate metalcore and should be avoided unless you’re an avid fan of the band or genre.