Not only is the lead single from the band’s seventh album, Everyone Loves You …Once You Leave Them, hark back to the heavier and more aggressive sound fans largely haven’t been treated to since “I Hate Heartly” but it might also be the heaviest song they’ve ever put out. …Then “All My Friends Are Dead” came out and dragged me back in all over again. Following the brief respite of 2014’s Let the Ocean Take Me, it seemed like it might finally be time to go our separate ways. The deviation has been especially true of their previous two records, This Could Be Heartbreak (2016) and Misery (2018), both of which, despite being incredibly successful with regard to the band’s popular and commercial appeal, were-it has to be said- downright embarrassing from an artistic and musical standpoint. As The Amity Affliction have grown into one of Australia’s biggest heavy music exports (perhaps second, behind only Parkway Drive), they’ve largely eschewed the elements of the their sound that drew me to them in the first place, while replacing them with all of the worst elements and trends of modern pop music. However, the band were also foundational in my growth as a music listener as an example of how bands don’t necessarily live up to, nor are they at all beholden to, the trajectory fans envision for them. I’ve professed my adoration for the Brisbane metalcore outfit’s now severely overlooked debut, Severed Ties (2008), on Heavy Blog before. The latter has largely been my relationship with The Amity Affliction. Yet, disillusioned listeners can often find themselves trapped in a cycle of disappointment from which they have no real motivation to disengage. Sometimes it leads to pleasant surprises. Now, with how ubiquitous and accessible music has become online, there’s no reason not to check in on an old flame to see what they’re up to with each new release. Time once was when it was too difficult or expensive to keep up with once loved bands whose sound had diverged from what once made them captivating or from whom you’d simply grown apart. Letting go is always hard but It can be almost impossible in the digital age.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |