AlbumsNovember 29, 20119,058 views

My America Narratives


Narratives
01. Pax Romana 02. Scumbag 03. No Exit in the Sweatshop Inferno 04. The Art of the Glimpse 05. The Black Lodge 06. Boy's Life 07. Our Words Will Fail Us 08. Dirge of the Sea/Death on the Wings
2006 Emerald Moon Records
Our score 7

by Nick
11/19/2006

Narratives, the debut record by the Delaware foursome that answers to the name of My America Is Watching Tigers Die (insert generic 'why is it so long' witticism), is a great example of how a hardcore band can produce quality music that strays from the traditional straightforward style, yet doesn't rely on overbearing technical instrumentation to hook listeners. At no point on this disc was I ever blown away by the drumming or the guitar and bass work, but that's precisely the point: Narratives is a relatively simplistic, yet still interesting album that is a rather impressive debut for a young band. MAIWTD is musically similar to a stripped down Breather Resist with a touch of Refused thrown into the mix at times. The tracks are driven by the omnipresent gritty bass lines, leaving the sole guitar to often layer on syncopated single note riffs and basic, but catchy melodies. While many bands focus on trying to pack in as many notes as possible to achieve that chaotic sound, MAIWTD focuses on varying the rhythm structures for their brand of hardcore. The vocalist sticks to a high-pitched scream, which is perfectly appropriate for the style of music, and since the disc is over in around 26 minutes, it doesn't have the chance to become annoyingly monotonous. The first song, "Pax Romana" is a great mid-tempo opener, showcasing the coarse bass lines and the simple riffs that characterize the rest of the album. With the exception of the instrumental interlude "Boy's Life" and the slower closing track "Dirge of the Sea/Death on the Wings," MAIWTD doesn't really stray far from their successful musical formula. I would bet that if this album was another 20 minutes longer, it would start to lose the listener toward the end, but in its current dosage there really isn't any risk of dwindling listener interest. However, I must add that two tracks have completely unnecessary piano outros that are around a minute a piece. Although I can think of a few examples in which other metalcore and hardcore acts used piano intros/outros to their advantages (Fordirelifesake's "Dependant on Attention" comes to mind), I'm a strong believer that bands should shy away from this sort of idea. I always get the impression that while the band is in the studio, someone goes "Hey! Did you know Johnny can play the piano Let's throw it on the end of a song even though it doesn't fit at all!" And amidst all the group high-fiving, no one really realizes how bad of an idea it actually is. Bottom Line: With Narratives, My America Is Watching Tigers Die combines relatively simplistic instrumentation, some heavy Breather Resist influence and a mouthful of a band name into a style of hardcore that won't blow you away, but it just might find a way onto your playlist. While old school hardcore diehards or tech addicts won't really find a whole lot here to whet their musical taste buds, this disc is a solid debut that should be received well by many.

14 comments

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upperdeckered_ 11/19/2006 5:14:47 PM

this is a great cd

anonymous 11/19/2006 6:14:59 PM

Delaware represent!!

corey_ 11/19/2006 7:07:25 PM

amazing disc.

jimmyjones_ 11/19/2006 9:41:56 PM

They were better with Brett in the band

cool_dude_ 11/19/2006 11:07:41 PM

Great Review, perfect score. Check this out!

uhhh..._ 11/20/2006 2:55:03 AM

Gluck junior?

CuntSnot_ 11/20/2006 1:13:13 PM

the band name makes me want to hate them...

ANONymous_ 11/20/2006 1:25:26 PM

stupid f*cking name

Coldchain_ 11/20/2006 1:45:12 PM

Awful name

Rikethink_ 11/20/2006 3:16:28 PM

I hope "The Black Lodge" is a Twin Peaks reference...

PBR2K6_ 11/20/2006 5:01:46 PM

of course it is

reignofchaos_ 11/21/2006 1:48:49 AM

solid release

Gluck_ 11/21/2006 6:30:58 PM

While only a gay man would like this album, that being said since i am gay as well i give this 9/10

jizzbomb_ 11/21/2006 7:38:34 PM

i took a shit the size of god.