AlbumsNovember 29, 201119,727 views

The Acacia Strain The Dead Walk


The Dead Walk
01. Sarin: the End 02. Burnface 03. 4x4 04. As if Set Afire 05. Angry Mob Justice MP3 06. Whoa! Shut It Down! 07. See You Next Tuesday 08. Demolishor 09. Pity 10. Predator: Never Prey 11. The Dead Walk
2006 Prosthetic Records
Our score 7

5/23/2006

I have to be honest from the start - the style of hardcore/metal/whatever that the Acacia Strain plays is not really my thing. That said, they do it better than 98% of similarly styled bands. One reason it's not my thing is the reliance on breakdowns; breakdowns that tend not to vary from song to song. Typically, the end result ultimately sounds like the same rehashed riff over and again. In fact, this was a complaint I had with the band's previous full-length debut for Prosthetic, 3750. Contrary to expectations though, there is a lot more variation on The Dead Walk, and a very clear, successful attempt to avoid redundancy. More or less picking up from where 3750 left off, the overall sound on The Dead Walk is unmistakably the Acacia Strain. The dissonant guitars, powerful low end, thunderous drums, and ominous, low vocals sound heavier than ever. Despite the fact that the first riff of the first track "Burnface" (after the intro track) sounds uncomfortably close to A Life Once Lost or Meshuggah, and that this newfound sound recurs at various points throughout the album, the band settles nicely into the style they are clearly most comfortable with with: ultra down-tuned, mid to slow tempo metal influenced hardcore that is crushingly heavy. To be certain, there is much more on The Dead Walk than mammoth breakdowns that demands attention. Utilizing more metal influence this time around, the fresh usage of various discordant melodies brings welcome changes of pace throughout the album. In addition to the occasional one-off solo, there are even a few fast tempo parts, reminiscent of older styled hardcore, that fit perfectly into the overall scheme of the album. Also easily recognizable on this newest release (as with previous material) is the pitch black humor of the lyrical content. As a whole, The Dead Walk is without a doubt the darkest material the Acacia Strain has ever birthed. The threatening and foreboding vibe that emanates throughout gives The Dead Walk one of the most haunting atmospheres this style has ever seen. Bottom Line: By now most people will already know where they stand with the Acacia Strain: fans will immediately buy this, and others will dismiss it. However, if you have yet to experience the Acacia Strain, this is a great place to start.

57 comments

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Cory_ 5/23/2006 9:29:58 PM

the guitars are tuned WAY too f*cking low on this record. f*ck this.

DeathComesRipping_ 5/23/2006 9:33:54 PM

Decent release. Not the "heaviest album of the year" like the banners say, though.

JB_ 5/23/2006 9:41:10 PM

What, may I ask, is the heavier album?

whitelambpowergoat_ 5/23/2006 9:41:15 PM

this is the album RN tried to make

deadwithfear_ 5/23/2006 10:10:24 PM

i'm not too sure about that RN comment. i was expecting this album to get a 4/10.

yeahdude_ 5/23/2006 10:59:12 PM

"get the f*ck out of dodge!" - thisheartscoma

united_ninety_three_ 5/23/2006 11:03:28 PM

"The threatening and foreboding vibe that emanates throughout gives The Dead Walk one of the most haunting atmospheres this style has ever seen." you can't be serious...

wizardsbeard_ 5/23/2006 11:26:54 PM

I, personally, was very haunted.

Lochlan_ 5/23/2006 11:46:07 PM

This album is insanely heavy. The vibe is quite disturbing.. the music and lyrics are quite violent.

Dan_ 5/24/2006 12:06:00 AM

hahaha weak album weak review

xnvb_ 5/24/2006 12:56:14 AM

I was expecting this to get like 3/10. Not really that good at all, and though Ash states that they tried to avoid redundancy, that's what I got a lot of out of this album. Repetetive and monotonous.

wearyourwounds_ 5/24/2006 3:17:33 AM

cover art: 0/10

anonymous 5/24/2006 4:02:22 AM

This is a really suprrising review for a band like this to be reviewed on LG. Still, really good review Ash! Oh, and Cory? STFU!

anonymous 5/24/2006 4:45:00 AM

THE HEAVIEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR. PERIOD.

bizzy b_ 5/24/2006 7:30:41 AM

big money makers, big big money makers. shake it over town, shick shake it over town. bizzy b.

sawtooth_ 5/24/2006 8:08:54 AM

never heard them

jibberjabber_ 5/24/2006 8:48:36 AM

you really dropped the ball with this review Ash. metalcore can not be haunting, maybe silly. But not haunting

vegans_taste_good_ 5/24/2006 9:13:53 AM

the track that you can listen to is 5/10 at best. MEH

getdafuckoutofdodge_ 5/24/2006 9:42:27 AM

GET THE f*ck OUT OF DODGE

Ryne_ 5/24/2006 9:49:43 AM

I actually can't wait to hear this since I enjoyed 3750.

the gay store_ 5/24/2006 10:36:10 AM

this is our best seller here.

CuntSnot_ 5/24/2006 10:46:27 AM

shit band...

LambgoatMDCnigga_ 5/24/2006 10:53:42 AM

stfu you all like metalcore

music_critic_ 5/24/2006 11:02:16 AM

I've heard better music coming out my arse.

sweetzombiejesus_ 5/24/2006 12:10:35 PM

More like the Dead HEADWALK!!1 AMIRITEGUYS?

mike _ 5/24/2006 12:50:55 PM

very good review. right on point.

childkiller_ 5/24/2006 3:27:24 PM

"THE HEAVIEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR. PERIOD." you idiot. you know nothing of heavy music if you think literally open chord breakdown after open chord breakdown for 30 mins is the heaviest album of the year. f*ck this band sucks way too much, why people suck this shit up is beyond me. CHHUUGGG CHUG CHUG CHUUUGGG CHUUG CHUGG! gays.

natestarkiller_ 5/24/2006 3:54:59 PM

certainly not the heaviest album of the year. theres too many good death metal cds that have yet to come out this year. but still from what ive heard not as bad as i thought it would be. this mp3 is actually a little groovin.

anonymous 5/24/2006 4:10:11 PM

not that i expect most readers of this site to realize such things, but if you really think about it, youd realize that you all know the tagline for this album verbatim....hmm....wonder if Prosthetic's promotional team did thier job right

xdivisivex_ 5/24/2006 5:34:47 PM

Amazing release.

Morteguire_ 5/24/2006 8:27:59 PM

Someone tell me what the f*ck happened to Blood Has Been Shed?

blue clarence_ 5/24/2006 10:24:50 PM

are you serious?! the bass drum sounds like someone making fart noises with their mouth

zero_x_potential_ 5/24/2006 10:46:17 PM

great band, solid disk. saw them last week, they put on a good show.

johnson&dix_ 5/25/2006 12:03:59 AM

lambgoat reviews suck, don't bother reading them. its all elistist bullshit.

anonymous 5/25/2006 12:33:26 AM

"THE HEAVIEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR. PERIOD." you idiot. you know nothing of heavy music if you think literally open chord breakdown after open chord breakdown for 30 mins is the heaviest album of the year. f*ck this band sucks way too much, why people suck this shit up is beyond me. CHHUUGGG CHUG CHUG CHUUUGGG CHUUG CHUGG! gays. and you know nothing about Lambgoat itself if you took that goddamn statement seriously, you stupid f*cking douchedrinker. Gurgle broken glass while som

fags_ 5/25/2006 3:37:26 PM

im f*cking tired of people always putting metalcore down... metalcore is f*cking sick shit dumb bitch ass motha f*ckas need to get a life and let metalcore be its here to stay and theres nothing u gays can do about it...8/10

panzram_ 5/25/2006 3:58:51 PM

learn how to use a semicolon

music_critic_ 5/25/2006 4:06:45 PM

Time for a group hug?

anaturaldisaster_ 5/25/2006 4:13:51 PM

Whoever said that shit about the RN record can blows me, Remembering Never are easily one of the best bands playing metalcore right now, and piss all over these guys. That being said, this is nowhere near as bad as I expected.

ktownhcore_ 5/25/2006 9:00:29 PM

f*ck rn even thought there new album is solid......they use to sing way to much and are all about the politics....the acacia strain is about shooting people

anonymous 5/27/2006 1:14:43 AM

panzram is a gay

Evil Brendan_ 5/27/2006 5:34:31 PM

Love this record. The song Demolisher makes me feel like I'm going crazy

faggotgoat_ 5/29/2006 2:49:19 AM

In terms of "heaviness," this one's a lightweight. Dull, boring as shit, been-there-done-that metalcore, Adam D. type bullshit.

thisaintsweettea_ 5/29/2006 5:19:04 PM

booooring awful contrived horse shit. Tune lower, gays. Also, the lyrics are f*cking childish.

Agaycia Strain_ 5/30/2006 9:59:25 AM

Crap!

SeveredInTwo_ 6/1/2006 4:28:27 PM

This album crushes, f*ck all you pussies...

fvckyouyoufvckingfvck_ 12/22/2006 3:26:47 PM

pretty bored with this one. every song sounds almost exactly the same. listen to blood has been shed. they're a lot better. 6/10

anonymous 1/29/2007 11:49:03 AM

Dude you have no where to talk this album got 7/10 so get right Dick

RyanATF_ 1/30/2007 7:09:02 PM

f*ck this bullshit, just listen to Blood Has Been Shed...

kyle_ 3/4/2007 1:21:21 PM

this cd is about a 3 or 2 for me. i like 3750 alot....but this is too metalcore. and who wants more metalcore...not me and yes DEFF not the heaviest album of the year. theres bands that are way heavier than they are

Issac_ 4/13/2007 9:49:58 AM

this shit pumps me up

phil_ 4/27/2007 11:05:58 PM

best album.......ever

danielle_ 7/23/2007 7:12:49 PM

i loved 3750, but the dead walk sucked, all sounded the same to me. i give it a 1

Wingman_ 12/11/2007 9:12:07 PM

and childkiller, what do you listen to. oh i sure you listen to those bands that play solos after solos after solos. yeah the bands that try to show off their talent but end up looking like a bunch of 12 year old boys with more energy than the monster i drank an hour ago. finally a band puts out a cd that doesnt kill me with guitar solos. this album rocks and yes, it is the most heavy album of 2007. jerk

Wingman_ 12/13/2007 3:18:09 AM

oh and CHUGG CHUGG CHUGG CHUGG is what your mom did on my c-ck last night BITCH! f*ck you and your pathetic life

PhantomPharter_ 7/30/2008 6:12:47 AM

Great review. I will definitely check the album out! Thanks.

anonymous 11/14/2012 2:20:21 AM

GAYCIA STRAIN WOOHOO