The latest release from UK
hardcore band Your Demise is sure to be the album that will make or break their
career and it’s a huge risk for them to take with a swing in direction for
their sound. Controversy has surrounded them and their fans have been divided
ever since the departure of original vocalist George Noble from the group. That
controversy has been increased since the release of the music video for ‘These
Lights’, which sees the band embrace an American pop-punk style which is
nothing like this band have done before. Does it pay off with the full-length
album, ‘The Golden Age’? It’s safe to say that it doesn’t, and that’s not just
because it’s different, because different can be good, but it’s so utterly
forgettable for a massive percentage of it that it’s one of the most
disappointing heavy releases of 2012 so far.
The opening and title track is a
short, sweet and heavy kick to the gut, packing a punch with throat-burning
vocals, thunderous drums and furious guitars. It’s a great heavy start to the
album, keeping the hardcore roots of YD with a recognisable punk edge. The
momentum of this track is knocked backwards with ‘These Lights’, which gets my
nomination for one of the worst songs I’ve heard in a while that comes with the
tag ‘hardcore’. It has been the centre of much criticism from diehard YD fans,
and the swerve towards pop-punk isn’t just extreme, but it’s done with such
haphazard disrespect for both genres the band intend to slip into. It’s definitely
an attempt at mainstream success, but the sugar-coated melodies are loaded with
such mind numbing lyrics that it feels like a parody for the duration. The
video is intolerable (seeming like a fashion show for frontman Ed McRae) and
leaves a real sour taste in the mouth.
‘Born A Snake’ is much better,
returning the raw power of the band’s album ‘Ignorance Never Dies’ and the enraged
guitars of ‘The Kids We Used To Be’, which combines to create a real ‘guns
blazing’ song that is a complete to contrast to what has just been heard. There
are some great melodic moments amongst the fury, where heavy riffs are centre-stage,
although the growls/spits from McRae seem a little overdone at times. ‘Push Me
Under’ is a fast punk track, leaving a trail of destruction behind it with
technically efficient chugging guitars and some well executed vocals. McRae has
clearly taken the reins with the YD sound, which so far doesn’t seem to be the
best choice. This song isn’t entirely original, but it brings enough to the
table to feel fresh.
‘Paper Trails’ lets the pop-punk
sound again bleed in, but nowhere near to the sickening extreme of ‘These
Lights’. It’s a respectable take on the genre, the added aggression making it
feel more passionate and believable. Vocal additions from Evarose’s Dannika
Webber give the track a sense of beauty, which helps YD explore uncharted
territory. ‘Forget About Me’ is an intense ride with thrashing guitars that
tear through verses and sink down for a punky chorus, the hardcore edge coming
from another guest vocalist in the form of Terror’s David Wood. It’s a unique
cameo that makes this an explosion of a song.
‘I’m (Not) The One’ is memorable,
fun and experimental with yet another guest vocalist, this time Letlive’s Jason
Aalon Butler. The song is a rip-roaring thrill ride, returning to the non-stop vehemence
of YD album ‘Ignorance Never Dies’ and the good times of ‘The Kids We Used To
Be’. The outro includes Butler’s vocals and gives the song an insane and
unstable twist making this one of the most enjoyable tracks so far. ‘Never A
Dull Moment’ channels skate punk with basic chords and threatens to stray back
into the territory of ‘These Lights’. Luckily it doesn’t get there, and this
track is both forgettable and ironically, incredibly dull.
‘The Colour of Envy’ is full of
angst, combining a modern hardcore sound with a decent chorus. It’s precise,
but yet again a forgettable track. ‘A Decade Drifting’ starts with urgency and
goes through the motions with swagger and the addition of final guest vocalist,
You Me At Six’s Josh Franceschi, who croons away and pushes the track to a
memorable stage, which is a positive as the latter part of this album is
flagging desperately. ‘Worthless’ is one final bash through, bringing an end to
what is a short and unsatisfying album.
Despite the highlights, the album
is ultimately a failure at introducing a pop-punk streak to UK hardcore,
leaving much of ‘The Golden Age’ feeling disjointed and sitting nowhere clear.
It has no clear direction, and will likely alienate more current fans that it
does gain new ones, as there isn’t enough quality here to make Your Demise
stand out in a flooded genre, as they once did so effortlessly.
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