The Charm The Fury

A Shade Of My Former Self

Written by: PP on 28/11/2013 22:53:58

Although The Charm The Fury begin their new album "A Shade Of My Former Self" with chug-chug breakdowns, standard fare metalcore brutalized to attract the scene's attention, they quickly make it clear to the listener that they're also going to integrate heavy doses of pure post-hardcore into the mix. Aside from the screamed vocals and the breakdowns, they have plenty of mid-range clean singing, that gives the album many catchy choruses, but also lots of solid verses, although occasionally there's also a dosage of Anthony Green worship to be found. But essentially, this dutch group is about as exactly in between post-hardcore and metalcore as I've heard during my review career.

Perhaps the most impressive feat of the album is that you can go through the entire record and not realize their singer/screamer is, in fact, female. Partially because so many post-hardcore clean vocalists sound girlish to start out with, but mostly because her scream is so coarse and aggressive that even Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy would turn her head to double-check her gender. Comparisons to Sam Carter from Architects are certainly in order , although the band are otherwise far more post-hardcore, especially when the clean vocals arrive and they go far beyond knee-deep into the genre. "The Enemy", which features Jamie Graham of Heart Of A Coward on guest vocals, is one such example, where crunchy metalcore riffs dominate at first, before we splurge into an awesome post-hardcore melody during the chorus. "Carte Blanche" demonstrates their ability to write dynamic metalcore riffs instead of just low-end breakdowns, plus it brings in gang shouted vocals, and a lingering, subtle backing melody and some semi-clean vocals during the chorus to make it fall among my favorites from this record as well.

Towards the middle and from there onwards, is where the record really starts unveiling its proper potential with songs like "Colorblind", "Living Saints", and "Heartless, Breathless" among others. These are the tracks that most incorporate the post-hardcore element within them, and thus give some separation between the generic metalcore that the band otherwise engages in. In fact, it is the post-hardcore passages where the band is at their best, so perhaps this is what they should concentrate on in the future?

7

Download: A Shade Of My Former Self, Carte Blanche, The Enemy, Colorblind
For the fans of: Architects; Crown The Empire; Dream On, Dreamer
Listen: Facebook

Release date 16.09.2013
Listenable Records

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