Fordirelifesake Fordirelifesake

While the market has been flooded for the last few years with bands who play a blend of melodic hardcore and metal, there are few bands that can match Michigan's Fordirelifesake. For those not familiar with them, they are an excellent blend of modern hardcore and 90's European metal. The combination of scorching metal leads, driving breakdowns and quiet melody sets this band well ahead of most other bands playing this type of music. It is no surprise that Forge Again Records has decided to re-release their out-of-print debut EP hot on the heels of their debut album, Breathing In Is Only Half The Function. The disc's first cut "Four Letter Lie" is a prime example of the combination of melodic sensibilities and metal insanity that makes Fordirelifesake different. The track begins by introducing the two vocal extremes of the band, a very capable singer and a screaming voice reminiscent of At The Gates or In Flames. The track drifts in and out of a slightly typical melodic portion until the band hits with their most powerful weapon: their blazing guitar work. While many so-called metal-core bands lack the technical ability of real metal bands, the speed and proficiency of the two guitar players in this band hold nothing back and as a result the riff of this song really stands out as one of the best I've heard in quite some time. Clocking in at almost five minutes and crossing the spectrum of emotions, this song is a prime example of what Fordirelifesake is capable of. The next track is a token acoustic instrumental that is just over a minute and really isn't particularly interesting, but it provides a good segue between the first track and the third, "The Perfect Way To Cut Myself." Kicking off at the speed of thrash, this song rocks through every breakdown and death-metal style gurgle. At times sounding punky, at others emo, this band blends without regurgitating. In true metal fashion, the disc's final track is a seven-minute opus. "She Loves Me Not" finishes the disc with every bit of anger, hatred and regret a song could possibly contain. Yet again, the edge this song has comes from its great riffs. That's not to say that the rest of the band isn't excellent in their own right. The guitars just stand out as particularly good. I have very few complaints about this record, the first of them being that it clocks in at just over sixteen minutes. The second is that as with most melodic metal-core bands out right now the lyrics deal largely with failed relationships and rejection. I can only hear someone scream about how much they want their ex-girlfriend to die so many times. Bottom Line: Musically, this band is a very talented metal-core band with emphasis on the metal. Lyrically, they could use some work. I would definitely recommend picking up this disc to fans of technically proficient metal-core. If you're not a fan, this CD might just change your mind.