WE WERE GENTLEMEN

What exactly is the allure here? I assume WE WERE GENTLEMEN's "Living Hell" must have some appeal to someone out there; I just don't know who it is. Well, I have an idea. It is the same group of folks who'll buy anything with down-tuned guitars, polished production treatments, and any degree of 'core "values." As for songwriting, fuck it. Who needs it, right?

Exaggerating to make a point? Not that much; OK, maybe a little. It is not that "Living Hell" is the worst metalcore release on the planet; it's just boring and uninspired. And really now, if one has no desire to listen to an album ever again, nor can recall much of what was heard, save for the constant hum of a down-tuned riff, then you can't be talking about a "good" album, now can you? The problem with "Living Hell" is the lack climax in the arrangements and the ho-hum nature of the album as whole. It is mostly boring riffs and what seem like elongated breakdowns that often go nowhere. "Cradle Your Filth" is at least remotely interesting for having some semblance of a memorable melody, helped — for a change — by a cleanly sung (not crooned) vocal. "The Insomniac" tries to be progressive with its open melodic passages and textures, but only leads to a dead end as well; really more like six and a half minutes of running in place. Overall, "Living Hell" doesn't cut the mustard for its technicality nor its tunefulness.

Sometimes the conveyance of a certain kind of intensity or just plain balls will help make up for tepid songwriting. That's usually not the case with "Living Hell" either, and vocalist Matt Tarpey's (ex-WINTER SOLSTICE) hoarse-throat delivery only makes one think of lozenges, instead of pit violence. "Living Hell" could be worse; there are moments where you hear the seeds of ideas beginning to germinate, only to die on the way to fruition. What I'd really like to know though is who stole the soul?