Motionless In White

Creatures

Written by: BL on 03/12/2010 02:40:04

Motionless In White last appeared here on Rockfreaks when we reviewed their debut album "When Love Met Destruction". For those who also don't know, that said album was later re-mixed/mastered and rereleased as an EP. Apparently they ran out of print of the album and decided to streamline the whole package by narrowing it down to the best songs(from their pespective at least). More than a year and a record label deal in the bag later, the band are back with their new second metalcore full length "Creatures". What I particularly enjoyed about the last album was the whole borderline theatrical nature of the atmosphere these guys created track after track. Everything sounded dark, gothic, and even occasionally haunting. We're not talking anything subtle or overly artsy, but full on in-your-face choir, organs, church bells, and piano samples as well as keyboard synths (their sound actually reminds me a lot of It Dies Today when they still had Nick Brooks).

"Creatures" is a big album, and actually shows that the band has at least solidified somewhat since their last full release. The guitar work has significantly improved in places and even at times resemble August Burns Red with some cool new intense and technical riffs (listen to "Abigail" for example), just be warned that there are still a hell of a lot of breakdowns (even though they're pretty well worked) - and a lot of them are even heavier than those we've heard before. Fortunately those melodic hooks dispersed throughout that we heard before can still be found here in healthy doses. The catchy clean vocal choruses mixed in amongst the utter carnage of vocalist Chris Motionless' (yes I'm sure that isn't his real name) scathing growls and screams are a simple combination but in the context of the whole cheesy horror sound the band have, it works particularly well because his vocals are a perfect complement. Do bear in mind though that the lyrics are extremely hit or miss, especially if you don't like the whole gothic horror imagery being deployed. There's a nice guest spot from ex-It Dies Today vocalist Nick Brooks on "Abigail" (that guy should never have left the band in my opinion, since he sounds right at home here unsurprisingly). The keyboards yet again function as one of the main weapons of the band throughout the twelve tracks here. Being more than just a showtime gimmick, they continue to provide layers of powerful ambience and some decent lead synth lines ("London In Terror" and "Count Choculitis" in particular come to mind).

Two songs from the EP/album version of "When Love Met Destruction" make a return on the new album - "We Only Come Out At Night" and "Bananamontana" renamed as "City Lights" (a more appropriate name too I must say). They hold up well to the new songs and both also undergo a few minor changes here and there, where the result is more than a bonus for the older fans (not to mention that lyrics from the album titled track were formed from material fans sent in). If I have to be more critical of "Creatures", then I'd have to point out that I think that a few of the songs still suffer from having parts that sound too similar to each other, not to mention the amount of breakdowns is easy enough for people to lose track of where they are in a song if not put off entirely. Obviously despite all the praise I have for the various aspects the band have shown here, they are still ultimately genre contained to the death as well. But so long as you are able to come to terms with that, then while "Creatures" may not be ultimately anything spectacular, it is certainly an enjoyable metalcore album that stands strong next to their peers.

7

Download: London In Terror, Abigail, Cobwebs
For the fans of: The Devil Wears Prada, It Dies Today, Alesana, August Burns Red
Listen: Myspace

Release date 12.10.2010
Fearless Records

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