Amanda Woodward La Decadence de la Decadence

Pepe le Core! I’m not sure if that makes any sense in French. I definitely can’t make any sense out of the lyrical content of this release, being entirely in French. What I can say is that it is phenomenal, and that the quality and tone of the music traverses all barriers, linguistically and musically. It is said that music is the universal language. Amanda Woodward’s newest release, La Decadence de la Decadence, is the perfect example of said philosophy. Allow me to translate the best I can if you have never been fortunate enough to hear this band. Without describing specifics of the band, being on Level Plane gives listeners an idea of certain stylistic elements they can expect. Known for previous screamo heavyweights, Level Plane has recently upped the ante with heavier bands like Anodyne while still retaining bands representative of what got them noticed in the first place. Also, Amanda Woodward is not the first foreign language band that Level Plane has brought to this shore (read Envy). Therefore, Level Plane does for modern hardcore what Quentin Tarantino does for cult martial arts movies. Moving on to the band itself, though the singer of Amanda Woodward never ceases to scream throughout this album, at times the band barely resembles hardcore. That said, this band exhibits moments of rocking out that will make even the most cynical hardcore kid pay attention.Each progressive song is vastly different from the last, crossing genres left and right. Comparisons could be made to American bands like These Arms Are Snakes, Hot Snakes, or the departed Ink and Dagger, only with screaming instead of singing.Amanda Woodward also knows how to decrease the volume and aggressiveness of certain songs without losing any of the intensity. The Panthers’ more spacey rock moments come to mind. The stellar production of this offering showcases the talents of each individual member. The guitars blend well with each other, opting for a tone closer to some indie rock than heavily distorted metalcore. The bass adds the proper support as well as additional melody in some songs, while the drummer explores varying beats and tempos. Bottom Line: Nothing gets stale on this release. There is never that moment halfway through the disc where you realize you’re bored.From start to finish, this is a fine product of textured, layered music. To listeners of hardcore and metal, not being able to understand the lyrics should not pose a problem. Moreover, having toured all over the states this summer, there shouldn’t be any worry about investing in a band that you will never see again. Even if this is not your cup of tea, make an effort at whatever cost to hear this album.