Customer Reviews

Caitiff Choir

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Some people think of It Dies Today as just another metalcore band, but the fact of the matter is, they aren't an imitation band. This New York-based five piece formed in 2001, and they only just released their first full length album, "The Caitiff Choir," a little over a year ago (in 2004). It Dies Today are actually a very promising young band who show signs of greatness. Granted, they do sometimes sound like a lot of other metalcore bands, but they are catchier than bands like As I Lay Dying, and have more clean, backing vocals than bands like Chimaira. The members of IDT aren't the most mind-blowing musicians you'll ever hear, but the guitarists (Mike Hatalak and Chris Cappelli) play riffs which are typically quite fiery, and vocalist Nick Brooks is actually quite multi-faceted. He uses just the right amount of clean vocals, which (as in tracks like "Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads") offset his throaty, "I'm spilling my guts out" yells well. The final sound is quite energetic and intense. The album opening song, "My Promise," and "A Threnody for Modern Romance" have chugging riffs, pounding drums, and barked vocals (plus the latter track has the album's only guitar solo). Elsewhere, track seven, "Freak Gasoline Fight Accident" features propulsive, pounding power chords and thumping drums, "Out Disintegration" and "The Caitiff Choir Defeatism" are driven by heavy rhythms and fast, blistering guitar attacks, and, finally, "Naenia" has catchy chug and churn riffs. "The Caitiff Choir" may not be the most innovative album out there, but it sounds pretty great, and, with all the metalcore out there today, you could do a lot worse. As said before, It Dies Today are a promising young band who show signs of greatness. They're clearly on their way up, and it would be a huge mistake to write them off as "Just another metalcore band," without hearing this album, first.

For those who aren't very familiar with It Dies Today, this is not their debut recording. Their first album is called Forever Scorned, and it was released in 2001. The Caitiff Choir is their first album for Trustkill Records, but this is their second record.

If you're expecting a complete copy of the first album, you may be dissapointed, because it definitely isn't. Don't worry, there are breakdowns and plenty of mosh parts, but you won't hear them in every single song. In many cases, this usually results in a soft sophomore record, a track many bands take in order to gain more fans or sell more records. So why does this album still get four stars? Because it's done right. IDT have managed to blend metal and hardcore intensity with pop hooks and harmonies without sounding the least bit soft. This is not an Atreyu clone by any means. IDT have their own sound and in a time where metalcore bands are more than plentiful, it's nice to hear a band with their own sound. When the metalcore scene fades in the next few years, this band will still be making music. There's nothing amazingly innovative or awe-inspiring, but the album hardly ever gets boring. Overall, a fun and exciting (yes, really!) album by a young band who knows what they're doing. Can't wait for the follow-up. Highlights include "My Promise", "Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads", and "The Depravity Waltz".

IDT it's a great band I love them I like their old cd a lot but this one it's still good still good to listen to it and the recording of this album is awesome but in some songs they have that new "atreyu" taste and it just doesn't click with me I like Atreyu and all but their latest relase not that good in my opinion but getting back to IDT and that's what makes me give this album 3 stars but there is some brutal songs in this album like track 1,4 and some more but it's average okay not the greatest not the best but def. worth 10 buxs so go get it

Well maybe not total ownage, but this band is one of the most talented out there, if you don't admit that, you have no brain.
Nick Brooks writes some of the most intelligent lyrics out there, and his vocals are some of the best as well, and the guitars have Gothenburg written all over it, but this is a very catchy yet, heavy enough album for emo kids and metalheads to enjoy, here are my song ratings:

1. My Promise- 4/5 (Great album, but doesn't give you the taste of what the whole album really sounds like)
2. Severed Ties Yeild Severed Heads- 5/5 (Great song, is the prime example of what the album is, great guitar, the awesome metalcore screams, and the very good singing verses)
3. The Radiance- 5/5 (Not what I was expecting, a predominently singing song, but with a voice like his, he should put it to use more often)
4. The Depraivity Waltz- 4/5
5. A Threnody for Modern Romance- 5/5 (First song I heard from this band, but I was aware of this band for a while, great song even today)
6. Marigold- 4/5
7. Freak Gasoline Fight Accident- 4/5
8. The Caitiff Choir : Revelations- 4/5 (Very heavy song for It Dies Today, probably the heaviest on here)
9. Our Disintergration- 4/5
10. Naenia- 5/5 (One of my favorites, great vocals, probably the most well written lyrics on this album)
11. The Caitiff Choir Defeatism- 5/5 (Great finale, this song has the perfect buildup for the lone guitar, which never really gets boring, and of course Nick's awesome vocals)

I just heard of these guys a few months ago on "Headbangers Ball: The Revenge" CD and I was impressed off the bat. So I decided to pick up their CD and it became one of my favorite albums. Starts off aggresive with "My Promise" the intro gets you pumped, this is probably the hardest track on the CD. "Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads" is one of my favorite songs on the CD, the song starts off hard within the first second of the track and breaks into a great chorus. "A Threnody For Modern Romance" was their first single and this is a great track. My personal favorite on the cd, fast and catchy with fierce vocals. "Naenia" shows off lead singer Nick's singing voice, which is pretty good. With all these metalcore bands out there its hard to find ones that are good. These guys are one of the good ones. They are also pretty young too and they have a lot of talent. With a new CD on the way for October, they're a band to look out for in 2006.

Standout tracks: Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads, A Threnody For Modern Romance, Marigold, Naenia, Our Disintigration

This band is so versatile. They can go from brutal breakdowns that are as brutal as those of bury your dead to very catchy melodic singing at the flip of a coin. Some of the songs though sound too much like they could be played on the radio which could spell disaster for their heavier sound (which they do very well). Standout tracks: Severed ties yield severed heads, freak gasoline fight accident, My promise, Naenia. Buy it or live the rest of your life in regret of what could have been.

First of all, I'm not one to classify music. I listen to a huge spectrum of rock. Everything from Slayer to Iced Earth to KoRn. Let me say that It Dies Today's major label debut, The Caitiff Choir, is amazing. It is an amazing blend of aggresion and melody that floored me on the first listen. Here's my track breakdown:

1. My Promise (4.5/5) - The intro is static distortion, and then the riffs kick in and let you know IDT are not playig around. This is a heavy song that gets you pumped up.

2. Severed Ties Yield Severed Heads (5/5) - A well paced song that has loud, aggresive verses, followed up by a huge, extremely catchy melodic chorus.

3. The Radiance (5/5) - A break from excessive amounts of screaming here for a nice song that features vocalist Nicholas Brooks showing off his singing ability. Another catchy chorus here.

4. The Depravity Waltz (4/5) - Back to another hardcore song that has minimal singing, only in very small parts. It's a pretty good song that sets you up for the most amazing song to be heard by my ears in a while....

5. A Threnody For Modern Romance (5.5/5) - Wow. That's all I can say about this song. Great lyrics, great music, another catchy chorus. These guys are good at that. I can't find enough good adjectives to use to describe this song.

6. Marigold (4.5/5) - Pretty good song, I wasn't overly impressed, but I don't ever skip it. Pretty catchy, just not a huge fan.

7. Freak Gasoline Fight Accident (4/5) - Fairly good song. Kinda like Threnody, but not as amazing. (At least in my book) Nice belnd of aggresion and melody.

8. The Caitiff Choir: Revelations (3.5/5) - The heavier half of the two part Caitiff Choir song. It's not bad, but much like FGFA, not very fond of it.

9. Our Disintegration (2/5) - The one song I actually am not hugely fond of.

10. Naenia (5/5) - Back to awesomeness here. This song is a close second to Threnody for best song on the CD. Amazing melody, catchy chorus. Perfect.

11. The Caitiff Choir: Defeatism (5/5) - Quite good, nice way to end the CD. Awesome guitar ending that fades you out of the CD.

In closing, I have to say that Buffalo's fine band has put out a CD that will stand the test of time for me. I was never expecting this when I bought this album. I would recommend it to almost anybody.

WOW!!, OH MY GOD!!!!!!, WHAT THE???, JESUS!!!!!
THAT WAS MY REACTION LISTENING TO THIS ALBUM THIS IS THE
HEAVIEST BAND ON EARTH AS WE KNOW IT, BUY THIS CD NOW

This is a really good Cd by It Dies Today, they are one of the best in the metalcore scene, I would give this a 5 star, but 3 or 4 songs are just too heavy, It Dies Today make some seriously awesome tracks like "a threnody for modern romance" "The radiance" "Severed ties..." "Marigold" but the other tracks are just too much. Those tracks start out heavy but not too much, the singer is screaming his lungs out, it's allright, but then the whole band slows the tempo by a half and the screaming increases and that's when most people will stop listening. Now don't get me wrong this is a great cd but i just think it dies today should make more singing tracks.

It Dies Today is just one example of the bugeoning metalcore scene today. they really know how to kick a**. for other metalcore bands, try Cataract, Zao, Unearth, Underoath, Hedfirst, Showdown, and Killswitch Engage. Metalcore has a future!