Customer Reviews

Ghosts Among Us

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't believe more people haven't written reviews so far and haven't heard of this band - granted they are a young band and this is their debut album so maybe the word hasn't gotten out yet - but when it does... to say the least this album is solid, there's not one bad song here, it doesn't let up - a must have for any screamo/post-hardcore fan. I just can't emphasize enough how tight this album is - each song is incredible and not to mention unique and distinguishable. Think four letter lie or rather underoath with a twist of saosin. Just classic screamo - the perfect blend between hardcore/metalcore and a more poppy/emo sound. Not as far as norma jean or oh sleeper but also not like four year strong or taking back sunday - somewhere in between, like I said think underoath with a twist of saosin.

All that being said, the only faults I can find, and I'm not even sure I would call it that but... there's been complaints about the screamer - the general quality of his scream is good (sounds kind of like Jake Luhrs from august burns red) it's intense there's no doubt there but as far as versatility - he's lacking, there's little to no variation in his range - most of it is all mid-range - you won't see the kind of dynamics Spencer Chamberlain or Micah Kinard can deliver here (both of whom have a fluid range in their screams and also incorporate despairing yells/cries/yelps to build up to and contrast the screaming). So the screamer could use some work, some maturing (he's the youngest in the band) but compared to a lot of the terrible screamers out there this is nothing and like I said his basic scream is good it's just that that's all he does really - but unless you're consciously analyzing/critiquing his screaming you won't even notice - you'll still love the songs, believe me!

The only other thing I can think of (and this is minor) is that like I said every song here is incredible - which actually made me wonder what seperates this album from say an album like Define the Great Line - because both albums are solid with every track blazing ... so what makes Define so epic? I'm not sure of the answer but it lies somewhere in the overall feeling the band delivers - Define is so intense, dark, serious, emotional, riveting...epic! while this album seems to be just intense...and it stops there, it's almost like you hear how hardcore the songs are and you like them but there's just not that personal connection you have with them as you do with an album like Define - so as a result you might get some vibes of a generic sound (which I know that word can be such a blow to a band so don't underestimate this album) but I think it just means they have room to continue blossoming and maturing, now that they have developed a certain musicianship and established a foundational sound with this album they can go with that and evolve - I know I'm looking forward to their future releases, remember they're still young - (look at underoath's change from tocs to define - don't get me wrong I love both those albums but the change was apparent to say the least).

The title says most of it. The kids in Our Last Night work harder than pretty much everyone else in the music scene, and after getting signed to Epitaph over the summer, it was very apparent to most of their original fan base that their hard work was going to pay off. You can say that it just sounds like the rest of the generic emo/screamo garbage, but technically speaking, their musicianship far exceeds well established in the scene, and their chaotic song structure somehow always seems to be built around some of the catchiest choruses I've ever heard (without comprimising their brutality). This album is an absolute must.

I bought this cd without hearing it because amazon sent me one of those "people who like this also like this" notes. Apparently lots of people who bought Bear Versus Shark also bought this. I have to assume all those people are as disappointed as I am . . .

The reviews I read all praised it for being technical, and given the comparison to BvS I assumed they had to be a creative band that did something unique. None of this is the case. The music is extremely simplistic, not technical at all, and certainly not anything you haven't heard before.

Now, don't get me wrong, if you just really like this particular variety of screamo then you should get this cd. For being a band that is comfortable staying in a well-known niche, they certainly execute their genre exercises rather well. If you love this kind of music and have just gotten sick of your other cds, pick this one up and you'll probably like it and there's nothing wrong with that.

But don't be swayed by the hype about this band being anything other than a genre piece. Their sound could be mistaken for a dozen other bands, their harmonies are basic, their chord progressions are simplistic and predictable, their lyrics, while not embarrassingly bad, are far from quotable. Most importantly, perhaps, to music of this type: the songs are mostly lacking the kind of rapid-fire time signature changes that really make this kind of music interesting