Close Your Eyes – We Will Overcome

Label: Victory Records

This album is, in a word, delightful. From the optimistic looking robots on the front, to the happy lyrics that sound like a dialogue from a final fantasy morale boosting cutscene, and the general energy in the songs. Close Your Eyes are also a Christian band, and very much so, but I mean this in the best possible way. I guess I have a kind of soft spot for guys who like to get low for the Lord. Anyway, Christianity can be ignored easily enough if you prefer, as in the miserable world of metal, some light can always be refreshing, provided it’s done well, and thankfully, they do. It’s not cheesy, it just has gusto.

They sound quite similar to A Day To Remember, although this album isn’t quite as good as Homesick, perhaps lacking in the variation department. It does still deliver however, with exellently written feel good metalcore songs, each of which can hold it’s own. Definately a “filler free” release. The vocals are clean for the most part, with singer Shane Raymond providing some great pop-punky chorus’s, as well as back up singers Brett Callaway and Sonny Vega giving precision gang chants at wherever it gives it the most inspiring push. There is also some quite surprisingly good guitarwork here as well (everything else technically is merely adequate), with “xChet Stedmanx” imparticular having a great major key solo.

Ultimately, while the CD remains rather similar throughout, it’s songwriting is good enough for this to translate as consistancy as oppose to blandness. Definately worth a listen for any fans of hardcore or pop-punk, or anyone who just likes to mosh4christ.

8/10

Eyelicker – Stoked to be working with Victory Records finally