When these guys came out, I appreciated what they did, but I just listened to other bands. I was very aware of what they were doing as they blended clean singing with hard-core, though certainly not the first to do this. They, however, influenced much of the Myspace metal to come, and their influence can still be felt on metalcore. The legit organic nature of their hardcore roots colors the opening track. "Primal Bloom" continues further down the more hardcore side of what they did. When it drops into the sung voals it does not occur at the most predictable time, not making it an anthem.
There is a more nuanced lead into "Thoroughbreds". The sung vocals are less pronounced as they continue down a more punk path. The thump of the bass line and the vocal melody put "Everything Hurts" at the head of the pack when it comes to the best songs so far. "Weeping Tones" finds the sung vocals produced in a way that bridges them to modern metalcore; I don't remember being present in their earlier work. There are some cool chugged riffs in "A Wake of Vultures" which feel a little more like Bihohazrd than I recall from them.
"Bad Bodies" continues to flirt with its more hardcore side. At times, the more melodic moments feel like Code Orange. They share a love for syncopated breakdown riffs, going where there is no breakdown. "Drifting Without End" has a more Deftones-like feel. I think this is pushed even further in that direction with the shift in production, which is less organic than their old material. "Melted" works off a more familiar hardcore stomp."Plague With the Most" works off a more metallic chug. The production on this album certainly introduces them to the kids of today who might not know their music history in an effective manner. I will give this one a 9.
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