You Ate My Dog

Like Torches

Written by: PP on 24/03/2011 23:23:38

You Ate My Dog is an awful name for a band as I'm sure we can all agree on, but yet it's the moniker which a Stockholm, Sweden bunch of dudes have decided to use as the name for their new band, whose debut album "Like Torches" has reached decent amounts of hype in their native county. Hype, which almost certainly won't transcend borders after a mediocre release like their debut, a hopeless attempt to mix classic early 2000s emotional hardcore with pop punk. A Day To Remember anybody? Lets just say that You Ate My Dog are a few classes below those guys.

It's easy to hear which bands You Ate My Dog have been listening to before writing "Like Torches": hints of Silverstein's emotionally wrought choruses, the cheesefest verses/lyrics of Hawthorne Heights, the pop punk screamo of Boys Night Out, the pop-hardcore of A Day To Remember are all audible in various forms throughout the album. To their credit, they have at least attempted to form their own expression, where they are wearing their influences proudly on their sleeve, but unfortunately it hasn't resulted in anything good. They mix post-hardcore and pop punk, but instead of taking advantage of the high-flying fretwork of the former and the catchy choruses of the latter, they've somehow combined the annoying features from both styles. The end result is a couple of good tracks like "Sticks And Stones Break Bones But These Words Kill" as well as "Pretty Lights", but a ton of average filler which is dragged down by frankly irritating emo vocal work. This coming from someone who usually cherishes the style!

Basically, You Ate My Dog need to refine their expression into just one genre. Either they write post-hardcore, in which emotional, whiny lead vocals are okay, or alternatively they give a brightness boost to their riffs and vocals and go full on pop punk. Right now they seem to be ambiguous as to which style to pick, so they've gone for both at the same time. Sometimes, such a middle-of-the-road approach can work, but in the case of "Like Torches", it simply doesn't.

Download: Sticks And Stones Break Bones But These Words Kill, Pretty Lights
For the fans of: Silverstein, Hawthorne Heights, Boys Night Out
Listen: Myspace

Release date 11.03.2011
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