burning_machine

Despite this album being the band's mainstream breakout, it feels like a step down from the first two albums in about every way imaginable.

The mix is worse, the lyrics are worse, the instrumentals are less interesting. The trap beats suck. Do not less this British guy rap.

However there are good songs here. The Summoning is good, and that change up at the end is now iconic. Acensionism (as well as the title track) is good besides the rapping. Euclid works really well, and the callback ... read more

Sleep Token feels like a band that's run out of tricks.

The audaciousness of the genre combinations is no longer bold or surprising, but now comes across as a bit trite and predictable. I really fell like this band has lost some of it's songwriting quality over the last 2 albums. They've never made cover-to-cover great albums for me, but there did seem to used to be some genuine mystery, depth and subtlety, on their first 2 albums especially (Even in Arcadia certainly contains ... read more

1000 Needles brings some more refined production compared to their debut, and it's clear the duo have learned some new tricks between their first and second albums. While I think this album is good and enjoyable to listen to, It still lacks the hard-hitting heights I wish it got to. I also miss the vocals actually done by Misha and Jake from the first album, which are all but gone on this record. Overall, Four Seconds Ago have clearly gotten better at their craft, but it hasn't ... read more

Very good album. It doesn't blow your mind or reinvent the wheel (obligatory Deftones mention), but few bands have a better knack for groove and consistent catchiness than Thornhill. It is less expansive than their first two albums, but also more refined and focused. The killer/filler ratio is high. It's a great piece of music, but I honestly hope Thornhill's next record gets a little more experimental.