If you're looking for a catchy yet simultaneously heavy melodic punk album, look no further than Ryan's Hope's sophomore release, Apocalypse in Increments. Blending monster hooks with production that makes every instrument kick as hard as it should, Apocalypse in Increments may have you wondering how you've never heard of this Chicago three-piece. The excellent production is care of Mr. Dan Precision (of 88 Fingers Louie/Rise Against fame), and though I am unsure as to what other bands' albums he has produced, I can say that this is one hell of a centerpiece for what he's capable of.
As for the songs themselves, there are some knockout winners, and the rest are catchy, fun and even heavy without being cheesy. There are also some nice, appropriate breakdowns that help Ryan's Hope stand out as band that knows how to write music (i.e. they don't sound like a bunch of amateurs that can play their instruments well, but can't work well together).
The songs that totally rip shit up are "The Carpathian," "When Life Steals Life," and "By the Sword" because they're all fast, aggressive and driving without sacrificing melody. They are truly the memorable highlights of the album, but that's not to say the rest is lacking in comparison. Many of the songs are along the same lines, but a few are less aggressive and more about the hooks, such as "Reiteration", "Exorcism" and "Majority."
Vocalist Terry Morrow, who surprisingly channels a young Greg Graffin at times, provides some excellent hooks for most of the songs. The vocals are excellent, but the delivery is where I ran into some of my problems. Most of the songs run smoothly, but the vocal delivery on a couple feel a bit awkward and clunky, and don't really flow very well. When the delivery feels a bit odd, it usually makes the song a little less enjoyable, though fortunately it only happens in a few places, and doesn't even occur throughout the entirety of any of the songs. The strong hooks that are present are quick to replace anything that feels a bit off.
The other gripe I have is that the closing track isn't one of those songs that is totally awesome. It's a decent closer I suppose, but for an album that has a good opener and some badass songs in between, I suppose I was a little disappointed.
Apocalypse in Increments, offers up some memorable songs, but there are a few that feel a bit awkward when it comes to the vocals, making a mostly smooth and catchy album feeling like it's lurching forward at times. Overall, this is a great release with a few absolutely killer songs, while the rest remains fun and catchy.
