Hold Your Breath - Embodyment

Embodyment has found themselves evolving drastically since their debut, Embrace the Eternal. On Embrace the Eternal, Embodyment brought forth a version of hardcore/metal that was familiar to many and was arguably mediocre. The band made an astonishing transformation with 2000's Narrow Scope of Things, an album that captured pure emotion alongside hardcore testosterone brilliantly. Embodyment's 2001 release, Hold Your Breath, finds the band evolving once more, losing almost all aggressive undertones and instead directing their sound toward passionate alternative rock. Vocalist Sean Corbray bursts with heartfelt emotion, and musically Embodyment targets a much more mainstream version of heavy rock, as compared to past releases. Unfortunately this new direction also leaves the band sounding somewhat empty, a problem that did not arise on Narrow Scope of Things. Lyrically Embodyment has expanded their views to take on more personal feelings, and songs like "Decade" and "A Season's End" are quite spectacular. Hold Your Breath just is missing that extra something to claim it is an outstanding album, and honestly it is a major disappointment as a follow-up to Narrow Scope of Things. While it is obvious Embodyment is looking for more of a widespread fan base that just would not come to be within the restrictive boundaries hardcore places upon itself, Hold Your Breath fails to meet expectations. ~ Jason D. Taylor, All Music Guide