As Cities Burn - Scream Through the Walls (June 7, 2019) Album • Page 11

Probably my favorite track next to Venture.

 

This is as bad as I expected

 

I said on Friday that it sounded like a good album. I'm honestly enjoying it more and more with each listen.

 

Die Contrary is good but the rest is forgettable. Ah well.

 

This was a pleasant surprise! Chains is the only song I can't really get into, and I could take or leave TJ's contributions for the most part, but overall I enjoy this.

 

I've been listening to this a lot since its release. It's not transcendent like CNS was for me, but it's a solid record. There isn't a track on here that I dislike. Standouts for me are Hollowed Out, Maybe, Chains, Venture, and Die Contrary. I was skeptical about having TJ back, but his voice has grown on me. This release inspired me to revisit their discography. So glad to have ACB back!

 

The songs on this album are in my head a lot. Which I did not expect first time around.

 

Ive listened 10 times.
I like it. Surprised because none of the singles were amazing on first listen.

Excited they are back

 

Kind of an interesting listen. I enjoyed CNS and HOHW a lot when I discovered this band prior to the latter's release, and though I don't think I've heard them in almost a decade, I still have specific songs or melodies stuck in my head. Afterwards, I tried many times to get into Son I Loved You At Your Darkest but I realized that album will never be for me.

As for this one, I'm mostly into it. TJ's vocals seem oddly placed on the first half which makes for a frustrating listen. That said, once Chains kicks in, the record finds its groove, and the following songs are more in line with what I remember (the blues-y and almost math-y guitarwork) or expected from them. Bright White Light, Die Contrary, and Chains are the main highlights.

 

This. Singing all day.

It's so amazing I made it this far.

 

Only big miss for me is blind spots.

 

I really dig that one

 

I've now given this several full plays and I cannot lie to myself, I am not feeling it at all. I don't really get their targeted audience with this one. Neither those that hoped for a Son, ILY regression or those that loved the last two albums will even really recognize this sound. It feels a bit advantageous to me, as if they believed this album was going to break through the glass ceiling for them.

I find quite a few of the vocal parts unbearable and really lazy. The song structuring and guitar work i've always loved from this band feels like it took a huge step back and plays secondary to TJ and Cody. Neither of who sound as good as they used to on record.

I've now seen ACB 3 times. Once during the CNS era when Cody fronted the band and they weren't playing anything Son related (great show). Then when they reunited for Underoath's farewell tour and played Son, ILY in it's entirety along with 84' Sheepdog and some others (phenomenal show). Lastly, which should've been telling for how i'd receive this album, I saw them on tour with Hawthorne Heights and Silverstein this past winter and I did not like their performance. It was a lot of new songs and I left their set feeling deflated and disappointed. I had hopes for when this finally released but yeah, a complete dud for me.

 

Interesting. I’ve loved every album the band has put out and to me this album could stylistically fit between SILY and CNS or loop right back to SILY from HOHW. Seems pretty fluid. Also, sure it’s advantageous. They’ve got fans who’ve been waiting on this for years. But I’m impressed that this wasn’t the phoned in record it could have been (though it’s definitely a grower).

 

I genuinely love their first 3 albums for all of their uniqueness and individuality from each other. For as long as they have been working on this album, I think they could've come back with something better. Opinions are like assholes and we've all got one, mine isn't special. I am very happy to see them finding the love and playing together again for sure.

 

I wasn’t knocking your opinion at all. For what it’s worth, I actually kind of agreed on the “lazy vocals” at first. Like, the chorus of Maybe is a prime example. But now I can’t stop singing it and it’s one of my favorite songs of the year thus far. It’s odd just how much I’ve grown to love this thing.

My one gripe with the album could be that maybe they could’ve given the songs more breathing room. But I also like how quickly it goes by too.

 

I listened to this a couple times last night and I can’t really relate to the idea that this doesn’t sound like ACB. I’ll concede that they’ve certainly done some changing to how they approach structure, but even when they do a lot of the more classic elements still exist. Some of TJ’s parts fall flat for me, either melodically or lyrically (despite me not being a huge lyric guy), but other than that this feels pretty in line with a lot of their other stuff quality wise. Aaron’s drumming is something else, lots of shining moments for him.

Glad others seem to be enjoying/coming around to the record. I also understand those who don’t connect with it the same way they did the old records 10 years ago.

 

Yeah, i'm sitting here wondering where their creative spark went mostly. I still go back and read lyrics from Son and CNS and think "I could never articulate these ideas so well" and am blown away by the delivery at times. So much more emotion and thought provoking lyrics on those releases.

Listening to 2020 AD is painful for me. Same goes for Bright White Light. I don't get why they so prominently went for this combination of muddy chords and repetitive lines. Specifically hearing "full speed ahead" made me cringe.

 

I'll say that Hollowed Out and Die Contrary got repeat listens. The two stars of the album for me and actual tracks that felt like a progression of their old sound.

 

Those are my favorites for sure. Although Maybe has caught up to them too.

 

I also agree the lyrics aren’t quite SILY, CNS level. But that’s also a super high bar to clear. Overall, I think they’re pretty good.

 

Damn son, the guitar line behind "the exit sign is a liar" in Live Convinced is absolute

 

The more I listen, the more I'm getting HOHW vibes from Broadway. Anyone agree? Mainly some of the vocal delivery and some of the guitar work.

 

THE FIRST DAY I WAS ALIVE
I GOT ON A RIDE
AGAINST MY WILLLLLL