Parkway Drive- Deep Blue
released June 29, 2010 on Epitaph Records
This is the newest release from Australian metalcore band, Parkway Drive. I have seen them compared musically to As I Lay Dying. Otherwise, I’m new to their music. “Unrest” starts off this album with relentless metal-tinged hardcore which is fast and brutal. This is going to be their signature as “Sleepwalker” pushes it even further, starting off with lots of well-done hooks followed by a greater emphasis on drums. “Deadweight” is another strong track and sounds eerily like a metal-fied version of Blur at first before delving more into the usual. “Alone” introduces a bit of melody into the mix, slowing down the pacing and diluting their sound. One of the most frustrating things about metalcore in this day and age is the constant incorporation of melody, which just doesn’t stand up well when you have a band like Parkway Drive, which yearns to be brutal and uncompromising. Thankfully, “Home Is For The Heartless” makes up for this with a better balance of melody and brutalness. Overall, this album starts out strong but seems to peter out towards the end. At the risk of sounding too harsh, I really don’t go for the lyrical content of such bands as it always leans towards suffering, etc. Regardless, this is still a strong album from a band to watch/listen to. If metalcore is your cup of tea, then check this out.
FCC: 2,3,4,8,10
Try: 5,7,12