Customer Reviews

Enginedown

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The album really deserves better reviews than its getting on Amazon. I'm kinda offended by the pointless remarks, for why it's a bad album. I'm sorry if the music is a little too layered and the lyrics take some thought to understand. I thought that was a good thing. I really enjoy this album. I feel every album they have made was another step forward. Demure was an amazing album, full of great vocals and guitar riffs. If I could describe the new album as a whole, Id say it's melodic masterpiece. Engine Down's vocals are very refreshing and original. The album builds until the breathtaking climax of the last song. The album for me is already aging well sounding better with every listen. Even with all the band has been through since the release (the loss of most of their equipment and merchandise in Texas) they still believe in the album. They had to borrow instruments just to finish their tour. It's one of the most rewarding albums I've come across. Listen to it.

a friend recommended engine down to me...he was actually talking about their prior album, but i got this one by mistake. the production is really stunning...great headphone music.

I have been an engine down fan for a few years now, and I have enjoyed all the records, because each of them had a distinct trait that had each record establishing its own identity... this one finds the band picking up where demure left off.


a few things you might notice right away...

Production: the production is very clear, especially on the drums. the drums really help to drive the songs forward, and the solid bottom end on this disc only helps make things better. even though there are alot of double vocal tracks, it doesnt seem all that overmixed or anything... and the vocal harmonies on the album could be pulled off live, un-like some bands I know *cough30secondstomars*


Keely's voice: It has matured with each record, and he has really come into his own this time. even though he doesnt make alot of effort to push his voice to the limits of range, he always had a knack for some really catchy and moving melodies...
these are delivered tenfold on this bad boy. on this album, his vocals are just so... smoothe. take one listen and you'll know..

There are a few things I was put off by at first, with this record...

if anyone heard the two songs on the bands website that they put up from the record, then you will defenitely notice that the song writing has been even further simplified, than that on demure.

honestly, there are alot more choruses, and alot less complex guitar parts as well. At first I thought it was strictly verse/chorus crap and I felt very disappointed, but closer listens revealed alot of subtle things that add to the songs that I was not aware of, until after a few listens.

The first song kicks off with a deceptively boring riff, until the rest of the band comes in and everything falls into place.

There are actually alot of moments like this on the album, and they help me to enjoy it quite a bit more given the simplified nature of the music...

There are however some weak spots, or just times when I wished there would have been more to the songs, but for what they are... they are extremely effective.

The best example of how this simple approach can be incredibly heart wrenching is the chorus of "and done" ... the melody is so simple you will wish you thought of it, and you will not be able to stop singing it... Alot of the songs that I thought were boring at first started to get stuck in my head, even if they were only just a small part of the songs. I mean... the album just grew on me...

This doesnt surpass to bury within sound. which is... in my opinion these guy's best record, but it is great all the same, if not a little flawed. this album will instantly put you in a sad mood, and is a very compelling listen, if you can keep your mind wrapped around it.

It's awesome to me that these guys can communicate even the most complex of emotions, with the simplest approach to music.
This is proof that a little can go a long way, just give it a few listens to get used to the new approach.. and you will find that this is a worthy addition to the engine down catalogue. just dont have any expectations of it like I did, you may be disappointed. Just put it on, and don't think about it... feel it.

Tepid emo-core is relatively competent but comparatively dull, this will primarily appeal to budding heartfelt punk aficionados hopefully working their way past it.

I'd firstly like to make the point that it is selfish to trash a band because they've grown with their music. While I will agree that sometimes in one's opinion the output may not be as good as the previous works, you still can't expect a band to produce the same work and rehash the same sounds. On to Engine Down's album: This is a good album. Yes, the sound has changed/matured a bit, but it is still a very competent album. I personally find this almost as good as their previous efforts and am sort of glad that they haven't stuck to their old ways (as much as I like those old ways).

If you like Engine Down's previous material, get this album. Decide for yourself if you can appreciate their progress.

This is probably my favorite hard rock album of all time, and that's saying a lot. It's an incredibly consistent album. Every piece falls into place just right: the writing, the instrumental music, the vocals, the lyrics. This has it all.

I honestly can't agree with any of the negative reviews here. How does this not sound anything like their last two albums? Within minutes I was making connections with their albums, especially Demure. I don't follow MTV, but does this really sound like anything that gets played on there regularly? Honest? Even MTV2? And I'm sorry, but thank God Engine Down doesn't sound anything like Linkin Park.

How did they sell out and write a pop album?

I'm sorry that you may think Denali broke up so Engine Down could make it big, but I'm sure there was much more to it than that. Not everyone was in both bands. Maybe someone in Denali wasn't interested in continuing, or had other obligations, or something? Or did you specifically read that they said "We quit Denali only so we could get rich in Engine Down"? Stop jumping to conclusions. Lastly, Engine Down has been around a lot longer than Denali, which seemed to me to be just a bit above a side project. As far as I know, they've never toured like Engine Down has.

Back to reviewing the new album...

The drumming is still great, lots of neat rhythms that you don't hear a lot in this style of music.

The bass is thick on some songs, not so much on others. The sound and production is very good.

The vocals, in my opinion, are better than ever. Some parts seem to be held longer than before, and there's more harmonization this time around. They also don't get lost in the mix as much as they used to. I generally liked the mix of the older albums, but sometimes the vocals were just a tad too quiet.

Don't be misled, this album is great. If you liked Engine Down at all before you shouldn't be disappointed. Buy the album, and go see the band if they come to your town.

I've felt from the beginning that these guys are destined for an album of great consequence and influence. They are talented and taut musicians and when I listen to their songs I get the feeling they care about what they do and take the time to get it done right. Keely's voice has become very confident and his harmonies are eerie. The rhythms have a syncopated vibe, and when there is no singing there is still something going on musically to hold your interest and keep you guessing. Now...this new self entitled album does not hit the goal set in my first sentence, but it is a key, as is "Demure". Although I think the latter is still the better of their albums, they are headed in a good direction. Songs like "Long Time Waiting" and "Well Read" are proof of that. Perhaps the band did make a slight departure from the path by trying hard to make a CD that would appeal to a greater audience, especially with songs like "Cover" and "Rouge" (which are still great songs), but if they think straight they will one day come to a critical mass. If they continue to stay true to themselves and remember there is an audience that requires ideas and concepts in music, then they will arrive to that ultimate destination, in creating a beautifully sound (pun intended) album.

Engine Down is a great band with a unique sound and big talent and they once again prove it with this self titled album (their 4rth full lenght release). There is nothing too surprising about this album, it has the same kind of sound that is on other albums, and maybe it's a little harder musically. In overall it's a good album and you'll want to get it for sure if you are a Engine Down fan. Rock On!

I am not going to trash these guys, I still think they are talented musicians... but this album really cannot offer what the previous ones can. I am totally against all the labelling of bands, and dissing bands because they want to be heard. Good music should be put out there. But, in my opinion, this album just is not that good. I listened to it about 7 or 8 times the whole way through, and not one track really grabbed my attention... I understand that bands cannot, and should not, create the same thing every time around, but Engine Down, the guys who made a few of my favorite songs EVER, could have done more than this.