Every Time I Die

Every Time I Die: New Junk AestheticNew Junk Aesthetic (2009)
Epitaph Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

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Contributed by: InaGreendaseBrian
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on October 13th 2009Every Time I Die plunged quite a depth from 2003's frenetically angular and generally brilliant Hot Damn! to its shaky and awkward followup, 2005's Gutter Phenomenon. But if 2007's The Big Dirty found the band regaining their footing a bit with stronger, heavier interpretations of the southern rock-.

Every Time I Die plunged quite a depth from 2003's frenetically angular and generally brilliant Hot Damn! to its shaky and awkward followup, 2005's Gutter Phenomenon. But if 2007's The Big Dirty found the band regaining their footing a bit with stronger, heavier interpretations of the southern rock-inspired metalcore craze they kick-started early this decade (for better or worse), New Junk Aesthetic is the next thankful improvement. And it's easily their best album in six years.

New Junk Aesthetic commences with a grumbling 30 seconds of feedback bellowing forth before a sludgy buildup and then a bottom-heavy, lurching rager for opener "Roman Holiday." The Dillinger Escape Plan's Greg Puciato provides a screechy counterpart to the chorus in "The Marvelous Slut," a portion that's less call-and-response and more a menacing twin interrogation, but even alone, always literate frontman Keith Buckley is quite the force, notably in "Who Invited the Russian Soldier?". That repeated refrain -- "You're standing on the edge holding a rose" -- is dynamic as all get out and an early highlight on the album. "Wanderlust," a surefire FUSE hit, has more in common with the melodic drawl of Gutter or Dirty's more single-oriented moments, but it's executed in finer fashion than the band have tended to in recent years; frankly, it should be jarring how much Buckley is actually singing in this one, but he pretty much nails it.

"For the Record" serves up a suddenly frantic and -- considering the band's evolution -- overwhelmingly heavy cut with a breathtaking number of changes and more tasteful hints of the "horror chord" that found way too much favor from 2002-2004 (:cough:, Norma Jean). It's just utilized entirely better here, and the song, which casts serious shades of the band's consistently overlooked 2001 debut, Last Night in Town, results as one of Junk Aesthetic's finest offerings. Hot Damn! sensibilities enjoyably pervade the next track too, in "White Smoke," though the levels of discomfort reached by the creepy backup singing on that album aren't quite met here (yeah, that's actually a criticism).

Oh, and the Bronx's Matt Caughthran hopping on the pulsating, rolling closer "The Sweet Life"? Much less redundant and way more awesome than one might naggingly wonder.

Persistently changing chord movements, an unnervingly relentless energy and less of a reliance on that "southern" coating keep Junk Aesthetic going strong, too. If every moment isn't outright compelling you, it's at least holding your interest in some capacity, and it pushes the album to the brink of greatness as a result.

Buckley may not produce as strong of the English-major metaphors he used to provide; the same sense of excited panic isn't quite there; the anthemic plateaus previously reached by the band still seem a bit out of reach; and the pieces aren't gelling quite as perfectly as they used to. Still, New Junk Aesthetic comes closer than the band have been in a hot minute. Fuck, even Pete Wentz's glass shard-ridden guest spot in "After One Quarter of a Revolution" isn't bad.

STREAM
The Marvelous Slut
Wanderlust

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

epoch (October 20, 2009)

What's the "horror chord"?

blip (October 15, 2009)

good band, not too stoked on the artwork.

ebolarama (October 15, 2009)

Album rips. I dig the Southern rock sound, but it's refreshing to see ETID get back to basics.

mikexdude (October 15, 2009)

on a*

mikexdude (October 15, 2009)

Either Deadguy's fixation of a coworker or Botch;s We are romans is the best metalcore album.

moneenerd (October 15, 2009)

CONDUIT:

Just the single, so no I havent so i guess what I said was unfair. But if "Wanderlust" is the entry song for the new album, then I have no interest in hearing it. That song leads me to believe that they're trying to go for the epic rock sound a la Bison BC and Mastodon and ditch their hardcore/metal flavor.

Which is fine because I still think they suck.

SATAN_THE_KOREAN_DINOSAUR (October 14, 2009)

you guys are way off. The best metalcore record made is Hopesfall's "No Wings to Speak Of"

That record will never be beat period.

crackpotdemagogue (October 14, 2009)

as much as i find it difficult to stomach more than 3 seconds of this band, i must say that i love the album title and the art. i would never of guessed these guys were into anything even vaguely dadaist; unless that is, the title is just a coincidence - in which case: fuck 'em.

conduit (October 14, 2009)

Best ETID record since Last Night In Town for sure. I like Hot Damn but eh.

also

Posted by moneenerd on 2009-10-14 08:03:23

I could never get into ETID. I couldn't get passed that weiner of a frontman they have. His vocals ruin every decent arrangement they produce, and now the band is trying to pass themselves off as some kind of new Mastodon Lite.

Mastodon Lite? So you didn't listen to the record then?

mattramone (October 14, 2009)

HORSE THAT BAND is fucking excited.

punkengineer (October 14, 2009)

Not as good at The Big Dirty or Hot Damn, but still pretty good.

preston (October 14, 2009)

I gotta pick this up. As long as it's better than Gutter Phenomenon, it shall rock.

thepopeofchili-town (October 14, 2009)

"could hot damn be the best metalcore album ever?"

It's top 10 for sure. Up with Jane Doe, Alive Or Just Breathing, Calculating Infinity, and I might get crucified for this, but Eighteen Visions' "Vanity" is one of my favorites.

moneenerd (October 14, 2009)

I could never get into ETID. I couldn't get passed that weiner of a frontman they have. His vocals ruin every decent arrangement they produce, and now the band is trying to pass themselves off as some kind of new Mastodon Lite.

Best metalcore album? My vote is for "Breathing In Is Only Half The Function" or "War Is Hell".

theproblemwithfire (October 14, 2009)

could hot damn be the best metalcore album ever?

it really might be.

nope, i'd have to go with hearts once nourished... by shai hulud, personally.

danperrone (October 13, 2009)

could hot damn be the best metalcore album ever?

it really might be.

telegraphrocks (October 13, 2009)

Awesome.

inagreendase (October 13, 2009)

Pope, you seriously submitted this less than 12 hours after I'd written, edited and put mine in the queue.

Amazingthemike (October 13, 2009)

Meh. Last Night in Town is still their best.

HeresLookinAtYou (October 13, 2009)

Agreed- this album is easily their best since Hot Damn. Solid review.