Haste the Day - That They May Know You (2003)
When the idea of Christian metal is brought up, many bands that are recommended as being "really good for a Christian band!" are typically deathcore bands that sound like Bring Me the Horizon, Suicide Silence, or Whitechapel, which brings the question of "Why seek out Christian alternatives if I can't even understand the lyrics?!" to mind, but alas, Haste the Day don't fall victim to mediocrity. Maybe they fall victim to ignorant religious beliefs but I really wouldn't know. Let's hold this thought and listen to some 5W33T R1FF5 instead!
Somewhere down the line of the metalcore genre, bands starting incorporating clean vocals in choruses to try to appeal to teenagers who need something to sing along to, but before they became sugarly-sweet sounding, there was Jimmy Ryan (who I always mistake mentally with Travis Ryan, who's not quite as much of a Christian rolemodel), who along with his black-metal influenced screams, and guitarist/vocalist Brennan Chaulk, who along with some riffage, brought calming, catchy choruses that helped (along with other bands, mind you) mold the shape of metalcore in the mainstream (well, the metalcore mainstream, mind you) to come.
The ending of "As Lambs" is absolutely bone-crushing and shows that Haste the Day is perfectly capable of being just as instrumentally heavy as their secular peers, while not over-compensating. Other moments, such as the technicality of the latter half of "The Dry Season", shine particularly brightly as not only having varied and notable riffs, but a drummer who sounds like he's trying to make a name for himself, not just playing blastbeats, but showing off his influences. What are his influences? I dunno, probably some cool stuff. YOU ask him.
I mean, come on, just listen to "Substance", a song that deals with substance abuse, and coincidentally displays what the band has over a lot of Christian metalcore bands: Substance. Not of the illegal kind (this ain't a certain other Christian band!! Ho ho ho, I'll leave that one to your own imagination) but the musical kind.
Of course, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't free of blemishes, or rather, just one: The ending track, "Autumn", is a great, calming track that brings nostalgic feelings rising up within myself.. Until Jimmy Ryan grabs you by the shoulders and screams directly into your face. I mean.. Come on, man, I was losing myself in the music, or rather, the moment, and I owned it, I never wanted to let it go. Don't do me dirty like that.
Not as funny as my other stuff? YOU try not cursing in a Christian music review! I'm hoping God will overlook that time I [insert literally anything I did when I was 15] with this. Probably not, but some people say Hitler was Christian, and if Hitler can get into heaven, then I can too! Is bringing Hitler up in this context still considered under the wing of Godwin's Law? Oh well, it doesn't matter because WITH GOD, YOU -ALWAYS- WIN!! THAT'S THE LAW, TOO, JUST ASK TED CRUZ!! IF YOU LIKE GOD BE SURE TO DONATE $50 TO MY PAYPAL FOR THIS ROCKIN' REVIEW WHERE I DIDN'T SWEAR EVEN ONCE!!!!! IF YOU DON'T LIKE GOD (BECAUSE THE CREATORS OF God's Not Dead THINKS ALL ATHEISTS HAVE AN AGENDA AGAINST GOD) THEN STILL BE SURE TO DONATE $50 BECAUSE DADDY NEEDS SOME NEW KICKS!!!!!!!!
7/10
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Feel free to check out the song previews/buy this album using my Amazon Associate link!
