Not bad for what it is
Just when you thought/hoped the ink in the metalcore/emo record contract-signing pen was running dry we are presented with another load of fodder in the guise of America's Haste the Day. Let's just run through what we're dealing with here, I'm sure we all know the drill but it's thrashing guitars, a few staccato drums churned in the mix, the music sounds as heavy as the early days of grunge and the vocalist screams all over the top because 'hey, everyone else is doing it'. Then the clean melodic whiny chorus kicks in like an irritating slap to the face before the process is repeated in every damn song. To put it bluntly, Haste the Day are exactly like every other band on the Scuzz/Kerrang channels, they're ten a penny offering little in the way of creativity, boundary expansion and individuality.
This all sounds pretty bleak for Haste the Day but for every trend or bandwagon there are good acts and poor acts and thankfully, for the sanity of this reviewer at least, Haste the Day are one of the good ones. At their heaviest the band are reminiscent of the old faithful Killswitch Engage as demonstrated on the rocking 'The Oracle'. At their most melodic they are knocking on the door of My Chemical Romance or even I Am Ghost, this is due to the layered vocals and counterpoint in the choruses as demonstrated on 'Needles' and 'Servant Ties'. At their most driving they are brushing shoulders with Bullet for my Valentine incorporating similar breaks and guitar harmonies, and at their most poignant, as they are in 'Janet's Planet', they throw a little Tool into the cauldron. As you can see they're borrowing liberally from what's popular which is a good move and will certainly find an audience amidst the kids and the rock channel watching public, but for older hands such as myself who have heard it all before it's just another nail in the coffin of originality.
There's a wealth of material on this disc, 16 tracks including demos and bonuses make up the 62 minute play time, but it's quantity over quality as even after half way through, and apart from a couple of exceptions, 'Janet's Planet' being one of them, they all sound of the same ilk. Similar structures to the growling and clean vocals, the similar style widdly riffs and the frighteningly congruous drum tempos all add up to an experience that leaves you asking where all the big riffs, hooks and anthems have gone.
Having said all that, Haste the Day are a good example of this type of metal (and I would call them metal). The musicianship is tight and there are a couple of natty guitar solos incorporated within the fabric of the album. Stephen Keech's vocals are excellent as he proves his voice to be quite versatile and adept at screaming and actual singing, and it is my belief that the level of musicianship in young bands these days far outshines the talent that was on offer when glam metal bands were being churned out left, right and centre. It's difficult to pick anything that stands out from 'Pressure the Hinges' because of the one song written sixteen times scenario, but 'Stitches' is perhaps worthy of note as is the already mentioned 'Janet's Planet'.
I certainly didn't dislike this album, and if you like modern scuzz rock then you could do a lot worse than checking out this long player because it ticks all the right boxes. For those wanting to avoid all that is modern and commercial then steer well clear of 'Pressure the Hinges' you'll find no joy here.