The Bottom Line
Above average metalcore.
Pros
- Good combination of melody and intensity.
Cons
- If you don't like metalcore, skip this album.
Description
- Released March 7, 2006 on Ironclad Recordings.
- Produced by Jason Suecof (Trivium God Forbid).
- This is the band's third full-length release.
Guide Review - If Hope Dies - Life In Ruin
The metalcore genre is becoming more and more homogenous and it's becoming hard to tell bands apart because they start to sound the same. It's in danger of meeting the same fate as nu-metal did in the '90s when tons of generic and marginally talented bands jumped on the bandwagon.
Fortunately there are bands like If Hope Dies that give metalcore a glimmer of hope. (pun intended) Yes, they do have the usual thrashy guitar riffs, breakdowns and hardcore vocals, but there are a couple things that make the New York band unique.
First their songs are a little harder edged than the usual metalcore fare. The guitars are grittier and the drums more punishing. They also have a gift for writing songs that are extremely catchy and memorable. From the riffs to the choruses, there are several songs that stick in your head after the music stops.
