Above this Fire is a band that I have known since their very inception, a band that I have been able to watch as they have grown from relative obscurity as local act into one that could easily eclipse their peers with the right promotional push. With In Perspective, this five-piece hardcore/metal hybrid can stand proud and declare that they have finally realized the goal that they set out to achieve over four years ago.
I must confess that the album's opener, "Reaction," caught me off guard. The band has given their song-structures a more straight-up hardcore approach as apposed to the technical-metal style they had previously. In addition to the band tweaking their sound, I discovered frontman Andy Hoffman has altered his vocal delivery quite a bit. Where as before he relied heavily on high pitched screaming, that technique, though not completely removed, has taken a backseat to his yelled vocals. While I wasn't expecting this change, I feel this style better suits Hoffman and the new approach Above this Fire has taken to their music.
Like the opening track, "The Deceiver Within" follows this new musical formula. The overhauled Above this Fire knit fast-paced straight-forward hardcore and breakdown-savvy metalcore. This interlocking blend of styles allows the guitar duo of Rick Sans and LT Magnotto play off each other quite well, whether they are providing grooving rhythms or earth-shattering breakdowns.
Above this Fire deliver some real gems over the course of In Perspective, including reworkings of songs from their self-released EP like "When Screams Go Silent." This song has it all, shredding guitars, intense drumming, and sing-a-longs great for pile-ons. These earlier tunes with their chaotic guitars and unrelenting screams bring back memories of the band's early shows I often found myself attending. The band still finds ways to incorporate this style into some of the newer tracks, in particular "Miles Apart" and "My Kiss of Death," which I can already see on mix-tapes next to Unearth.
While Above this Fire has found ways to bring life into a stagnant scene, their sound still bears enough resemblance to the countless other acts that portions of the album can seem slightly played out. The best thing the band can do to keep from becoming engulfed by the mass of metalcore acts is not to rest on the laurels. The moment they become content with themselves is the day they become just another face in the crowd.
While In Perspective isn't what I expected to hear from Above this Fire, the new direction that they have taken with the music and the vocal delivery impressed me a great deal. With all the press they are getting with this album, Above this Fire should expect even more success in their future.
