The stalwart American metalcore group's ninth long-player,
Radical
chooses revolution over evolution, administering 16 excellent reasons why
Every Time I Die
have been at the fore of the heavy music scene for over two decades.
may not innovate on a sonic level, but its rage is palpable, with every palm-muted chug, sludgy breakdown, and primal scream echoing the sociopolitical discord of the last five years. Churning out remarkably consistent, Southern-tinged slabs of apoplectic, groove-laden hardcore that can populate a pit at the drop of the needle is the band's forte, and the opening volley of "Dark Distance," "Sly," and "Planet Shit" doesn't disappoint.
Keth Buckley
is pissed ("No future with a racist past/Oh, but we can't acknowledge that/So we burn a cross and pray to a flag"), and the band underscores his fury with extreme prejudice. Guest spots from
Josh Scogin
(
68
,
the Chariot
, ex-
Norma Jean
) and
Andy Hull
Manchester Orchestra
) add exclamation points to the bruising "All This and War" and the lush and melodic "Thing with Feathers," while
Will Putney
's tight yet expansive production -- he really is the
Mutt Lange
of hardcore -- adds layers of complex shading to the band's sound.
has all of the mathy riffage, radiant melodies, and neck-snapping energy of a group fresh out of the basement. It also has the emotional maturity and brinksmanship of a seasoned crew who know which buttons to push and for how long, and it's in between those two persuasions that the album achieves greatness. ~ James Christopher Monger