Agnostic Front : "Echoes in Eternity

As long as Roger and Vinnie are in the band, it's Agnostic Front to me. The first thing I noticed was a bigger guitar sound, as they launch into a rapid-fire attack with anthemic hardcore gang vocals on the chorus, as expected, along with some more melodic nuances. The second song delivers more of what you expect from these guys.  They dip into the beginning of nu-metal when it emerged from hardcore, with a more rapped vocal approach on "Matter of Life and Death," as they are joined by DMC, which is effective, though perhaps not as groundbreaking as it would have been if this had occurred in the 90s. It does grow on me after a few listens.

The production on this album begins to remind me of 90s metal, which can be heard in the more thrashing chug of "Tears For Evereyone". The vocals have that staccato punchiness that feels like some of the hip-hop attitude from the previous song still lingers. It is amazing how their songwriting still holds up with a song like "Divided.". It is way more melodic than I expected from these guys. Then there is a song like "Sunday Matinee" that is lyrically silly in its attempts to chronicle in NYC. Hence, feels like trying too hard, even coming from the guy who is legit enough to tell that history. 

"I Can't Win" is what you expect from these guys, though the vocals are more melodic than expected. I like the more metallic tension in "Turn Up the Volume". The 41 seconds of "Art Of Silence," I guess, contrasts the message of the previous song, but that is about all. By the time I get to 'Shots Fired,' it is beginning to feel more like a Biohazard album. The more thrashing 'Hell to Pay' also falls under this mood, even when it finds its groove. "Evolution of Madness" charges along a similar punk path as some of the previous songs. 

"Skip the Trial" is another thrashing punk song, with a similar approach to gang vocals to what we have heard. The more metallic moments like "Obey" work better than just trying to appease the punk kids. Perhaps the album's best lyrics.  'Eyes Open Wide' ends the album with a big metal chug. I will give this album a 9; it is better than I expected this late in their career.It drops November 7th.

pst477