New Found Glory

Tip Of The Iceberg EP

Written by: PP on 02/05/2008 19:19:38

I don\'t think anyone can disagree with me if I say New Found Glory have been steadily going downhill ever since the release of \"Sticks & Stones\" in 2002, although some might argue that record was already inferior to their self-titled album and their debut \"Nothing Gold Can Stay\". Personally, I like a whole bunch of \"Catalyst\" songs, but many of them are a bit too slow, and especially like their latest full length \"Coming Home\", lack the raw edge their guitars had before, which clearly separated the band from others in the genre. A lot of this is surely down to major label pressures, as the follow up to their classic \"From The Screen To Your Stereo EP\" was mediocre at best, conforming to the overproduced, boring musical format the band introduced us on \"Coming Home\". That\'s the way it seems like at least when you compare those releases to the band\'s new EP \"Tip Of The Iceberg\", which features their fastest and heaviest material to date (I\'m not kidding!).

The back-to-the-roots mentality is audible straight from the opening riff of the title track. The guitars are raw, unproduced and have that nice melodic hardcore vibe to them, which we haven\'t heard since \"Nothing Gold Can Stay\". The riff is killer, and works as a great short buildup to the glorious record of the hardcore punk drumbeat afterwards. Jordan\'s voice sounds less nasal than before, and his lines are even occasionally fortified with gang vocals, a brand new feat we haven\'t heard from the band before. \"Dig My Own Grave\" is slightly slower, but still nonetheless worthy of the punk label. The guitars are still downright heavy, the riffs are interesting and the vocals are catchy - signature old school New Found Glory material. The gang vocals towards the end of the show sound absolutely massive - think those you heard in \"Intro\" from \"Catalyst\", only bigger.

Both of these two new songs are very good indeed, definitely the best songs we\'ve heard from the band since \"Sticks & Stones\", but yet neither one of these songs matches up to \"If You Don\'t Love Me\", easily the best New Found Glory song since \"Hit Or Miss\". Jordan\'s voice travels up and down the chorus, making it instantly recognizable and singalongable. Bring in more gang shouts and varying drum-beats and you\'ve got a real winner. If the band plans to write more songs like this one for their upcoming full length album, well, they have some great reviews heading their way for sure. Not to mention the countless pats on the back from the fans saying \"Atta boy\".

Other than the three new songs, New Found Glory gives their nods to some of the most respected hardcore/straight edge bands out there in the form of three covers. Gorilla Biscuit\'s \"No Reason Why\", Shelter\'s \"Here We Go Again\" and Lifetime\'s \"Cut The Tension\" are all made to sound like New Found Glory in 1999. The band does great justice to the songs, and at least for the undersigned, re-vitalize my interest in some of the classic bands in the melodic hardcore genres. Especially the Shelter cover is full of posi-energy, begging for a massive \"Here! Here! Here we go again!\" sing along during the chorus.

Overall, \"Tip Of The Iceberg\" is the best New Found Glory release in many, many years now. Not only it contains three songs all surpassing last 6 year\'s of mediocre releases, but it also has three awesome covers of songs that are originally great (in comparison to the dull ones chosen for \"From The Screen To Your Stereo Part II\"), not to mention the 18-song bonus disc of the group\'s side project International Superheroes Of Hardcore (separate review to follow soon).

Welcome back New Found Glory.

8

Download: If You Don\'t Love Me, Here We Go Again (Shelter)
For the fans of: Set Your Goals, The Movielife, Lifetime, early New Found Glory
Listen: Myspace
Buy: iTunes

Release date 29.04.2008
Bridge Nine Records

Related Items | How we score?
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

Legal

© Copyright MMXXIV Rockfreaks.net.