This Dream is not a Nightmare
Posted May 15, 2009
By Beck,
I've been a huge fan of Haste the Day since "Burning Bridges" came out. I was relieved that they kept their sound when Jimmy Ryan left and they released "Pressure the Hinges". And I was very happy to hear that they not only kept their sound, but improved it with "Dreamer".
The first track "68" is about the self destructiveness of sin. "I am my own disease" is a phrase repeated throughout the song and the general theme is echoed throughout the album.
"Mad Man" is one of the leading songs on the album. It's also the subject of Haste the Day's latest music video.
"Haunting" is one of my favorite songs on the album. It kind of reminds me of Underoath. Listen to it and you'll see.
"Resolve" is uptempo and one of the most overtly Christian songs on this CD. "Our lives hang on the words you have spoken and we wait for our God to return. Lift your hands to the Heavens. Let your heart be encased in flames". A lot of parents are hesitant to let their kids listen to screamo because of how hard it is to understand. I've found that when you read the lyrics and listen to the song you can understand it fine, and yes that's really what they're saying. If you're having a hard time convincing your parents, this would be a good song (a good album in fact) to show them the lyrics of.
"An Adult Tree" continues the metalcore assault of your eardrums, but it has a couple of soft parts in it too. These create the interesting dynamics that is a staple of Haste the Day. It keeps it from ever becoming boring. And I've got to give them major kudos for the cool guitar solo in this song!
As I'm listening to the album again for writing this review, I realized that I like this CD better every time I hear it. There's really not a weak song on here. And "Babylon" is no exception.
It's lyrics have an apocalyptic theme and an unsettling guitar part to match. The queasy vibrato and dark metal riffs set the right mood for the song.
"Invoke Reform" is yet another good song that keeps the momentum going. And if you're a fan of "shred" guitar, this is one you should enjoy.
"Sons of the Fallen Nation" deal with the struggle we all have with sin and God's willingness to forgive (more good lyrics to show your parents). It sounds similar to "When Everything Falls".
"Labyrinth" slows the pace down with it's eerie melody and droning guitar. I hope that Haste the Day writes more songs like this in the future, it's really cool.
"Porcelain" picks up the pace again as it builds out of "Labyrinth". The lyrics really sum up the theme of the entire album as it's about the fall and subsequent redemption of man kind by God.
"Autumn" was a surprise ending to be sure.
I don't know if I can think of another metal album that ended with an acoustic guitar song, and I've listen to quite a few. It's rare for a metal band to be able to pull off a song that features only vocals and a guitar. And it's even rarer for the vocalist to have a good voice when the heavy distortion and drums are stripped away. But, as someone is heard saying it the end of the song "I think you nailed it!"
In fact, the whole album "nailed it". This is not an album where you'd be better off downloading just a few songs from, it's worth buying the whole thing. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to Haste the Day, this album is for you. This has been my favorite album so far from one of my favorite bands. Hopefully they'll have more good stuff coming our way in the future!
For fans of August Burns Red, Disciple, Destroy the Runner, Decyfer Down, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Norma Jean, The Showdown, Spoken, Staple, War of Ages and most of all Underoath.
Rating: 4 and a half stars out of 5. View All Music And Book Reviews By Beck | View Beck's Profile
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