Writing reviews for this site can sometimes become dangerous. Speaking personally, bias is a real thing; it can sometimes get in the way as much I personally try to avoid it. A review like this one can particularly feel like walking on eggshells, because, full disclosure, Bleeding Through is probably one of my favorite metalcore bands since they first emerged in the early 2000’s. Even though I was listening to steadily heavier and heavier music throughout the years, Bleeding Through's metalcore stylings always remained with me.
Their name itself probably evokes a lot of that 2000's metalcore to many people. Yet, as the genre changed, Bleeding Through started to fade away. You might not even know they broke up until reading this review. Still, like many metalcore bands of that era who threw in the towel (Underøath, Atreyu), they recently returned with a reunion album, called Love Will Kill All.
It’s been about six years since their last album, The Great Fire, was released. Since the breakup, the band members haven’t done much of note. As far as I can tell, they didn’t join the ranks of any other noteworthy bands or created any of their own. So, Love Will Kill All is truly a return to form for the whole band; it really shows almost immediately when you listen to it. Even if you didn’t know the band took several years off from recording, you almost wouldn’t be able to tell at all. Fortunately, I mean that in the best possible way.
Love Will Kill All is chock full of Bleeding Through just being Bleeding Through. It’s good 2000’s-fashioned metalcore with perhaps a slight emphasis more on the hardcore side with plenty of energy through each song. Brandan Schiepatti’s vocals, both harsh and clean sound just as aggressive as a decade ago. Marta Peterson’s keyboards in the background provide a darkened atmosphere amidst the chugging and blasting. The formula appears to be followed down to the letter on Love Will Kill All. It is a formula that has served the band well on previous releases.
I believe that a good opening track to an album should introduce to the listener a little bit of what’s to be expected on the remainder of the album. “Fade Into The Ash”—technically the 2nd song on the album—provides exactly that. A breakdown rhythm from an ambient intro track transitions into an intense, speedy riff with mosh-inducing skank beats to compliment. It goes straight into a chorus of clean vocals, which eventually flows into a symphonic breakdown with organ and choir accents provided by Peterson.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqUnbCBDMHs][/youtube]
Again, all of the elements present here appeared on many of Bleeding Through's other successful albums. It's as if they never left at all. The band seemingly didn’t care to try to include more current popular trends like progressive rhythm, meter changes, or guitars tuned lower than sin. There certainly wouldn’t have been anything wrong if they had, but it’s certainly interesting that this album seems devoid of that as well.
However, as a result of following these familiar elements so faithfully, Love Will Kill All can sometimes seem a little monotonous as far as album construction goes. It might take a couple of full listens for you to grab onto a song that you’d like to specifically return to. For me, the first track to that was the closer, “Life.” This song is more on the melodic side of the album; it really reminded me of a track that on 2006’s The Truth. Yet for other tracks, it might take a little more critical listening to grab onto those. It certainly doesn’t make the album bad or cheapen the efforts on this album. It is simply one bit of criticism I could lay on this album.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlyDE01ptR4][/youtube]
Overall, Love Will Kill All is perhaps the best way Bleeding Through could have returned. The music is still full of their own trademarks and signatures that you could almost mistake for an earlier album. If you were into the metalcore of the 2000’s, I have a feeling this album is going to resonate with you. Whether or not it will strike a chord with new audiences I’m not so sure. All I know is that I enjoyed this album enough to recommend it to anyone who likes the genres and iterations of metalcore. I am very excited to be able to say that Bleeding Through is back, and I hope they will remain as well.
Score: 8.0/10
