Customer Reviews

Immersed

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Plain and simple this album is BRUTAL. So BUY IT! People will say that hardcore is dead. With bands like Sinai Beach, Norma Jean, Poison The Well making groundbreaking music, and purists like Hatebreed, Throwdown, Terror, and Bury Your Dead still making brutal tracks...I have to say that Hardcore is not only alive, its stronger than EVER!

if you enjoyed "When Breath Escapes" most reviews are correct when stating the difference is sevenfold, but this is still a brutal album, and something theat Sinai Beach should carry their heads high with. So what about the quote-unquote Danzig type vocals that several reviewers were complaining about. I admit it kind of took me back a little too, but I'm willing to move beyond that and give this album it's proper credit. Anyway the brutal/hardcore vocals far surpass this so-called Danzig rip-off stuff. ONe reviewer stated about this cussing in the song "The Serpent's Letter". Let me clear this up. There are a couple of times on the track where references are being made to "Pissing on the devil's tortured soul." So what, this isn't anything to get worked up over, or if you're so serious of a Christian music fan, not to buy this album over. The whole c.d. is filled with passion and praise for the Almighty God of the universe. Some songs are angry, and deal with subjects that need to be addressed, but there is nothing to hinder anyone from enjoying this disc. Heck, give it a try. Also check out Nodes of Ranvier's two albums you can find at Facedown Records. Both are well worth the listen as well as Sinai Beach's "immersed". So don't get on the guys too hard, they still shred. A little difference is good, and admit it, another "When Breath Escapes" would have eventually gotten old and monotonous. Change is good, unless you're Metallica....well, that's another bag of monkeys!

Overall, this release from Sinai Beach was a step in the positive direction for SB's career. The clean vocals on this album are what will make listeners either love it or hate it. Personally, I didn't think the clean vocals were very well done. But that is by no means a reason not to get this album. It is extremely hardcore and relentless from beginning to end. Courtney Alderson does a very good job with the screaming. Overall, good album and should be given a chance.

This is what I like to call brutal metalcore. I'm not talking about the brutality of death, black,or thrash metal or grindcore, but brutal hardcore. This is simply hardcore downtuned to metal with some thrash elements mixed in it. Of course the lyrics are pretty brutal, too and if you can't tell that these guys are Christians, then you need your eyes examined or something. Also like the use of some of the electronica/dance (yes! it is on a metal cd!) they use on songs 1, 5, and 9; don't worry though, it sounds nothing like the junk linkin park puts out. I also love the sick album art throuhgout the cd book and cover. Sick stuff all round if you don't mind some basic metalcore (plus electronica) and want to listen to a band that doesn't ripoff those all those melodic metalcore posers (not all of them: killswitch engage, unearth, the showdown are all sick bands).

Immersed is Sinai Beach's second full length album. This album is still just as brutal and as breathless. Immersed is an apacolyptic blitzkreig on mankind, seriously this whole album is about the downfall and wickedness of humans. The same theme was prominent their first album, When Breath Escapes. Even with this theme they manage to praise God for still loving us throughout our wickedness. In Immersed you can see how much this band has changed/matured, with the new very bizarre vocals added into the mix. Listen to it for yourself and figure out whether you like their new style, it's either a hit or a miss.

xx

It seems like some people felt pretty dissapointed with "Immersed" which I found pretty suprising. Bands evolve, alot for the wrong reasons, wanting more money pretty much just selling out. However, that isn't the reason here. If you want to know what it sounds like when a good band goes bad look at Norma Jean. Their new cd is just awful. However, I can understand why somebody would be dissapointed with this cd. The clean vocals (the screaming vocals are the same though) are going to be pretty hit or miss with the listener and if you're not a fan of metalcore/hardcore and aren't a total breakdown whor* you may be slightly dissapointed to say the least. However, if you like bands such as Bury Your Dead, Martyr ad, Diecast and Scars of Tomorrow i'm sure you will enjoy this.

Apocalypse - 3.5/5 Just an intro a pretty good one though. Starts out with some electronic feel then a breakdown kicks in. I could see this being an intro at their concert's, something to get the crowd going.

Obediance Through Desecration - 3.5/5 Not something that really caught my eye through the first listen, it got slightly better after a few more but nothing great.

The God I would Be - 4.5/5 Great song, the breakdown is enough to get anybody excited and the lyrics are wonderful and I agree with them.

Necessary Bloodshed - 5/5 Single for the album, great choice. Has some great haunting clean vocals (remember you will love them or hate them) and a good guitar solo.

To the Church - 4/5 the first 20 seconds or so have a techno feel to them and sounds odd and pretty dumb but when the song kicks in, watch out. The first half of the lyrics are pretty sad but the second half concentrates on not letting lfie pass you by.

Return to Dust - 4/5 Good guitar work here, the lyrics seem to focus on being able to find your place in this world, the clean vocals actually aren't that great in this one, that is why it didn't get 5/5.

His Chosen Fate - 4.5/5 I could see this being a concert favorite. The vocals make the lyrics seem very heart felt.

The Stagnate - 3.5/5 Again, didn't really like it the first time through and it isn't one of the better tracks here

Distressor - 1/5 just a short interlude, skip it.

The Serpent Letter - 4.5/5 After two songs that weren't up to par they return with one of the best, has some of the best drumming a great breakdown and lyrics revolving aroudn his dislike for the Devil.

Hell Blaze - 3.5/5 Pretty much just a quick song, not even 3 minutes long. Feels a bit like a filler track. Not bad though.

Ignoring the Conditional Response - 10/5 Best song on the album. The intro will make you wanna get up and start head banging. Great metal song. Everything is perfect here. Perfect song to close this album.

So, if you feel this album is up your alley, go ahead and buy it. However, if you feel it isn't. Don't even waste your money, you'll hate it. Enjoy.

This album is a sore disappointment after listening to "When Breath Escapes" which I recommend over this. I loved that CD so much and was glad when they signed to Victory but then upon hearing this my first thoughts were "what happened?"

I may give this album to a friend of mine or simply sell it. I miss the subtleness of the message. This slaps you acrossed the face a little too hard. Also I really miss the clean vocals on the first album.

I've only recently picked this cd up, but it's a mammoth compared to "when breath escapes". Many of the previous reviews suprise me after actually listening to this for myself. I think it sounds far heavier, more down-tuned(maybe just the production) and...........the transition in the clean vocals is a plus if you don't feel like hearing the same strained "emo/alternative/rock-style" melodic type vocals. The music is darker than the previous full length making the clean vocal style more fitting and at times it sounds pretty powerful. I thought this was a great buy. I liked the previous full length but with the over-population of repetitive metal-core, i passively disregarded this band assuming they would follow the trend of ....well, boring and unneccessary. This album is pretty elite for this genre and the lyrics are quite impressive. Great production, AMAZING INTRO TRACK. I hope for a follow up...because this has me interested again.

This album gets pretty good at Track 4. The Punishing, catchy riffs start at that point. It is just another metalcore album with strange vocals that you have to get used to. The refrains aren't catchy enough for some, but it avoids the annoying repetition of modern pop-rock.

Sinai beach- Immersed is the best cd of '05....no doubt in my mind. Immersed carries a common theme throughout the album, how corrupted the human race is and how we don't deserve the grace that God has given us, it's also centered around the apacalypse(in the book of Revalation). Through Immersed, Sinai Beach has unleashed a surge of anger and surprisingly, praise with its christian based themes... The lyrics are amazing, seriously amazing... the music is totally brutal and top notch quality for any metalcore fan... Sinai Beach- Immersed, a must have for all metalcore collections.