Whenever I hear someone make an uneducated judgement that punk or hardcore has gone soft and that the commercialization of our scenes has ruined everything – I usually feel like taking a brick to that person’s face. How such ignorant comments can be made in times where the evergrowing hardcore and metalcore scenes cannot stop the outpouring of amazing releases, truly boggles the mind. Case in point: REMEMBERING NEVER. While the singy/screamy style of metalcore may be at its highest peak in popularity right now with such bands as KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, POISION THE WELL, and FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES taking this country by the throat, each band to the genre certainly adds their own flavor. REMEMBERING NEVER do their work at an insanely fast speed – the transitions between mosh parts, fast parts, and quiet, eerie, sing-along parts are nothing but intense. Like a tornado launching a tanker truck across an interstate, this band hits with such brute force, only clouds of dust remain in its wake. Mean Pete has taken over vocal duties for this band, and just like his vitriolic, almost scary lyrics, his control of word flow is outstanding and haunting. This band really shines during the melodic parts because the music still retains that blasting feel. “Feathers in Heaven,” and “Meadows” provide moments of genuine awe when the band, like Emeril, kicks it up a notch in speed. Just when you think your stereo is about to implode from all of the double-bass action (I’m still apologizing to my subwoofer), REMEMBERING NEVER have that ability to stop on a dime. As this band turns fairly long songs (a few hover in the four to five minute range and beyond) into multi-tier masterpieces, the listener has no choice but to admire each and every build-up and breakdown. This review wouldn’t be complete however if more detail wasn’t given to the lyrics. Deeply personal, viscerally scarring, and verbally abusive, REMEMBERING NEVER’s lyrics make a connection to an emotional underworld that most of us will never be able to comprehend. The line that I think sticks out the most on this release comes from “Alison’s Song,” where Pete screams, “This charrade is getting older than suicide attempts.” Bloody, broken, and left for dead, REMEMBERING NEVER bring out the worst instinctual thoughts in humans, and it’s a glorious battle to watch from the sidelines. The next time someone around you makes a dumbass comment about how hardcore lacks any passion, first, tell that person to “shut the hell up,” and secondly, buy him or her a copy of “She Looks So Good In Red,” and make that person eat their words. This rules.

Ferret

www.ferretstyle.com