All That Remains Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Taking a stand against the shifting trend towards ever more brutal and uniform metalcore that besets them from all sides, All That Remains actually took measures to increase the dynamic and textural diversity that already figured in their songwriting with 2008's Overcome -- their fourth and arguably most accessible album yet. As has been the case throughout the Massachusetts quintet's career, the creative charge here is led by founding vocalist Phil Labonte, who consistently prioritizes clean-singing over savage growling and, for his efforts, successfully squeezes a few surprisingly catchy choruses and lyrics out of would-be singles such as "Two Weeks," "Forever in Your Hands," and "Believe in Nothing." His bandmates, meanwhile, see their instrumental contributions held ever in check by each song's optimal delivery; with Oli Herbert's flashiest guitar work saved exclusively for his consistently memorable solos (see "Before the Damned" and "Chiron," in particular), Jason Costa's typically busy percussive foundations never getting out of hand, and rhythm guitarist Mike Martin and bassist Jeanne Sagan holding own the backbeat with efficient reliability. Yes, the stylistic specter of Killswitch Engage still looms over many of the band's moves (as it does over much of the surviving New England metalcore scene, let's be frank), and a few less impressive songs ("Do Not Obey," "Relinquish," "A Song for the Hopeless") fail to leave a strong impression. But for all intents and purposes, Overcome offers very dependable melodic metalcore in the spirit of All That Remains' albums past, without succumbing to outright stagnation. And what's wrong with giving fans what they expect, after all? ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
'The Fall of Ideals'
Release Date 7/11/2006
Tracks 11
Label Razor & Tie
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What The Critics Say
The longer a musical style remains popular, the more bands seem to latch onto its recognizable formula. In the late '90s and early 21st century, the mainstream suddenly decided that heavy metal was back in style again, and welcomed with open arms bands that merged extreme metal (as evidenced by death metal drumming and growled vocal verses), and melodic metal (sweetly sung choruses). And you could say that All That Remains is definitely a supporter of this well-worn style, as evidenced by their third release overall, 2006's The Fall of Ideals (which was produced by a gentleman who is also a champion of the aforementioned sonic approach -- Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz). On such tracks as "It Dwells in Me," it turns out that guitarists Mike Martin and Oli Herbert definitely have a thing for Metallica and Iron Maiden, as evidenced by their chug-a-lug riffs, and intricate dual harmony guitar lines and leads. But on tracks such as "Whispers (I Hear Your)," there's just not a lot differentiating All That Remains from the oodles of other metal bands vying for Ozzfest spots circa 2006. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
'This Darkened Heart'
Release Date 3/23/2004
Tracks 10
Label Prosthetic
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What The Critics Say
Judging from just the first song on This Darkened Heart, one is tempted to immediately rank All That Remains among the top tier of current Swedish-influenced American hardcore-metal bands (and there are a lot of them). The dual-guitar interplay of Oli Herbert and Mike Martin is intricate and impressive, and their classically tinged riff-writing yields at least a slight distinction from their many At the Gates-influenced contemporaries. However, as early as the second track -- and again on several of the others -- they reveal their downfall in attempting to incorporate passages of melodic singing. It's a downfall they share with plenty of other bands in this genre. It would be a great idea to try this technique if these bands could pull it off tastefully, but All That Remains, like many of their counterparts, do not do so. The cleanly sung breakdowns on "Focus Shall Not Fail," "Tattered on My Sleeve," and the title track feel forced and are at times cringe inducing, sounding vaguely like bad-'80s radio rock (think late Journey). The other problem is that, as the album wears on, the experienced listener can't help but get the feeling that he or she has heard many of these riffs before -- if not note for note, then close enough that it doesn't make much of a difference. The guitar playing is excellent, and as a whole this album is better than average for the genre -- especially by 2004's diluted standards -- but it's not going to unseat Slaughter of the Soul, Storm of the Light's Bane, or any of the other classics that inspired this crowded genre in the first place. ~ William York, All Music Guide
'Behind Silence and Solitude'
Release Date 3/26/2002
Tracks 8
Label Metal Blade
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
All That Remains combines the throat-tearing vocals and whiplash tempos of '90s-style grindcore with a dual-guitar melodicism and musicality that can be traced back to early Iron Maiden. Philip Labonte's Max Cavalera-esque vocal style renders most of the words unintelligible, but a scan of the lyric sheet reveals not the usual quasi-satanic death metal stuff, but surprisingly heartfelt meditations on fate, longing, and lost dreams. This, along with the sensuous cover art (not to mention the band's name), lends a sort of gothic aura to the proceedings -- which in turn helps to distinguish All That Remains from its gore-obsessed peers. ~ Andy Hinds, All Music Guide
