Dying for What We Love

Being a resident of the Philadelphia area affords one certain opportunities, but when it comes to a vibrant metal scene, New Jersey tends to steal the show for the humble representation in the Mid-Atlantic region. Nevertheless, during the height of the metalcore craze there was a healthy share of bands hailing for the former vicinity that tended to be lumped in with the Jersey crowd, a few of them even managing to carve out a unique place for themselves amid a very crowded field. During the closing days of their 4 year run at trying to make it, this reviewer and occasional participant in the local scene had the privilege of befriending the bassist of A Well Thought Tragedy, culminating in a long run as band mates in the folk metal with hardcore leanings Frost Giant and afterward a continued collaboration in a studio basis that continues to this day. He stood out from his straight-edger looking metalcore compatriots by sporting an Iron Maiden t-shirt rather than Hatebreed or Killswitch Engage, and the melodic death components of this band's debut EP Dying For What We Love was likely fueled by his input.

Anecdotal accounts not withstanding, the poetic quality of this band doesn't end with their rather unique name or having a slightly more elaborate take on the usual assortment of confessional stories that make up their lyrics. There is a very free-flowing and asymmetrical character to how they approach songwriting that, while definitely quite informed by the groovy hardcore sensibilities of Hatebreed and the accessible, almost most pop punk inclinations of Killswitch, reaches a bit further into the metallic side of the equation. This is perhaps best exemplified in this 5-song collection's standout track "Failure Was Designed To Destroy", which deceptively begins on a plodding, hyper-simplified breakdown with a grunting hardcore shout that's almost a full on copy of Hatebreed. What follows is a series of intricate twists and turns that incorporates a number of riffs indicative of a high-period In Flames influence (i.e. the Colony and Clayman period) and even a slight paraphrase of the lead riff from Maiden's "Wasted Years" during a subsequent breakdown segment.

In essence, the modus operandi of this whole EP is an exercise in splitting the difference between the melodeath and hardcore sides of the coin equally, presenting them in a manner that is familiar, yet also a bit mixed up. It's the sort of metalcore that easily lends itself to the sort of circle pit mayhem with quasi-martial arts gesticulations and short hair that one might see at the average straight-edged show, but also could be enjoyed by fans of orthodox Gothenburg fair. The primary thing that hampers things a bit, other than the vocalist being a tad one-dimensional and being the only static part of an otherwise highly kinetic arrangement, is the extremely tinny and low-grade production job that robs a lot of the power from what could otherwise be a direct challenge to As I Lay Dying's strong works. Had there been more of a metal scene to speak of in the Philly area and this band not had to have relied on a hardcore label to market their craft, this may well have been the Mid-Atlantic answer to New England's then booming metalcore scene.