Every Time I Die has always been one of those bands that I thought were absolutely wretched. Surprise, nothing has changed. Songs like "I Been Gone A Long Time", feature some of the most terrible singing I have ever heard. With it's hardcore meets rock and roll feel that feels like Scissorfight at times, only twelve times worse. His vocals go from straight up screaming into some really bad nu-metal crooning, especially apparent in the line "If I could only make it make you want to want me." The fact that for the breakdown of this song they actually have the audacity to use a cowbell sickens me. The song actually fades out and doesn't have a definitive ending, which feels way too odd for the third song of this ten track cd.
Although I can't stand 90% of this record, I actually didn't mind one track. "In the Event That Everything Should Go Terribly Wrong" is an instrumental track that wasn't all that bad. You don't have to deal with any terrible attempts at melodic singing or bad screaming. There is some "singing" going on that more or less doesn't sound like words and just is used as in instrument but it's not even that apparent.
The rest of the record continues on with more and more craptastic tunes. "Elaborama" and "Pornogratherapy" sound almost identical in the beginning. I suppose if you liked ETID before, you'd probably still like them but I can assure you that they'll not change anyone's mind with this record.
It's a rare thing when the title of a band's record suits that record perfectly, but Every Time I Die has managed to do this. Once you peel off the slip case to reveal the liners littered with photos of two girls kissing, you very may well be saying "Hot damn!" Picking up where Last Night in Town left off without missing a beat, Every Time I Die's sophomore record showcases more of the mathy hardcore being showcased by this band and countless others across the globe. Unlike their peers, Every Time I Die are blessed with two things: a vocalist who can actually carry a tune, and a good sense of humor to coincide with the brutality of their music. When a hardcore singer starts screaming a line like "There's a beautiful love song in this!" within the first three minutes of a record, you know they're doing something right. Within twenty-seven minutes, the record is over, a mish-mash of octaves, discordant notes, and lots and lots of screaming, with the occasional harmonious singing line thrown in for a little change of pace every now and then. "She's My Rushmore" and "Ebolarama" stand out upon first listen, but repeat spins reveal tracks like "I Been Gone a Long Time" and "Hit of the Search Party" to be the finest cuts on the record. Keith Buckley is one of the few vocalists in the game who could sing a line like "When we find you we'll skin you alive, we'll pluck out your eyes and the canons will roar as we march to the capitol, dragging your hide" without making them sound awkward; he delivers them with just the right amount of sincerity, but with just enough tongue in his cheek to prevent them from sounding idiotic. The record has two major strong points, which are its saving graces: the flares of experimentation with melody and math-rock that are displayed here signal bright things in the future for the band, and this record is simply a lot more fun to listen to than the meathead bro-mosh being produced by many of the band's contemporaries. However, the fact that it's not as bad as other records being made by other bands doesn't necessarily make it good, even with the strengths evident on the record. Don't get me wrong, there are a few real standout songs here that signal very bright things ahead, but the rest of it is your typical hardcore, complete with the requisite breakdowns, palm-muted riffage, heavy-handed lyrics, and not much else. After a couple spins, there's a part of me that's nagging, and must raise the question: is this type of hardcore even necessary anymore? With bands like the Blood Brothers, the Locust, and These Arms Are Snakes making such bold steps forward, where does the necessity lie in an album like this? And ultimately, I can't find one. The record's fun and all, but until the band steps forward and moves in for the kill (which I suspect they will do rather effectively on their next record), they'll have to watch from the sidelines and wait for their turn.
