All That Remains: Overcome Album Review
Toning Down the Aggression a Little but Still a Blast
Apr 21, 2009
All That Remains have always been underdogs of the modern American metalcore scene. Singer Phil Labonte had the notable distinction of being the first vocalist for Shadows Fall, only to be asked to leave due to musical differences. Having lost out to Howard Jones at becoming frontman for Killswitch Engage, it was a case of third time lucky with All That Remains and credit where credit's due, they have done themselves proud.
Having plugged away in the underground for years they rocketed into the mainstream with The Fall Of Ideals, an album that is arguably, better than the entire output of either of the aforementioned bands. The fact it sold in excess of a hundred seventy five thousand copies didn't hurt either. The pressure then was on for delivering a killer follow up and while it's not as instantly gratifying as Ideals was, Overcome is an impressive fourth outing.
Overcome: Melody And Aggression
What's immediately apparent however is that the proceedings are a lot more melodic this time around. Whereas before they had kept the songs reasonably distinct, resisting the urge to let up on the brutality for every track, the ones on Overcome follow a noticeable pattern. Long term fans might be disappointed to see Labonte utilising his 'clean' vocals on each track and there are the odd moments where he has abandoned his gravel throated roar entirely.
First single Two Weeks for instance has no aggressive vocals at all, Labonte singing the entire thing. That's not to say it's a ballad, far from it and the guitars still thunder with plenty of spiralling, dancing-finger solos thrown in. However the twin harmonies and catchy chorus do seem distinctly geared towards a more accessible sound this time and nothing close to the death metal sensibilities they showed before.
All That Remains: Modern American Metal
That being said, Overcome is still an enjoyably fast paced jaunt through otherwise familiar territory. The band press the throttle down right from the start, only letting up for the occassional acoustic interlude and the Nevermore cover that rounds the album off. The thrash resurgence seems to have inspired the guitar duo of Oli Herbet and Mike Martin too as the fretwork is lightning quick throughout. The solo at the end of Song For The Hopeless especially leaves no impression of their skill and enthusiasm.
Elsewhere, mosh-enthusiasts will adore Undone and first track Before The Damned is a terrific opener, Labonte practically roaring his lungs out before seguing into a lightning quick chorus that claws its way into the frontal lobe and refuses to let go. Chiron on the other hand is a clear indication of their progression as a band, the sombre instrumental segment in the final third coming out of nowhere but working surprisingly well.
The Verdict
Ultimately, Overcome is a decent listen but even casting expectations aside, it doesn't manage to square up to its predecessor. The musicianship is formidable and some of the tracks are outstanding, but the decision to stick a bit more rigidly to the template has stopped this being another stone-cold triumph. However it is still good enough to justify a purchase and the more forgiving fans will not be disappointed.
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