Jump to content

ALL THAT REMAINS Drummer Is 'Absolutely In Love' With Band's Just-Completed New Album


dilatedmind

Recommended Posts

Massachusetts metallers ALL THAT REMAINS recently completed recording their new album at a California studio for a tentative early 2015 release via Razor & Tie. The follow-up to 2012's "A War You Cannot Win" was helmed by producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with LAMB OF GOD and GOJIRA.Speaking to Josh Rundquist (a.k.a. That Drummer Guy) on September 16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ALL THAT REMAINS drummer Jason Costa stated about the band's forthcoming CD (hear audio below): "Our label [has gone] through a lot of changes, as far as people who work there. And some of the new people that are just coming in, I don't know what they think that they expect from us. But we wrote a great album, and the guy who recorded our album, he absolutely loves it. And he's a Grammy-nominated dude. And he loves it and everything's fine. But the label kind of wants us to maybe write two more songs or so that are more quote-unquote radio oriented. So we'll see what's gonna happen. I think we already have enough of what we need for the album... Maybe they're right. Who knows? Maybe we go and we write two more songs and the songs end up being great. And it can't be a bad thing, right?!"Regarding the musical direction of the new ALL THAT REMAINS material, Costa said: "The 13 songs that we have for the album, those are done, and they sound fantastic. I'm absolutely in love with this album. Usually there's a few songs on every album that we record that I'm, like, 'Eh, it could be better. Blah blah blah.' This one, not one song do I have any, like, 'Oh, it could have been better.' I mean, everything can always be better — it's kind of subjective — but I don't have any misgivings at all about... I love every song on this album."He continued: "It definitely still sounds like us. But the heavy stuff is heavier, and the faster stuf is faster. We all really challenged ourselves on this album. And the radio stuff is more… not more radio, but there's definitely more singing, there's more melody and stuff like that. But the songs are fast; we have a lot of fast burners on this album. And the double-bass stuff for the heavier songs is really challenging for me this time. The patterns are super-hard, some of them."ALL THAT REMAINS singer Phil Labonte commented on the recent dissolution of a number of metal acts that came up at the same time as his band, such as BLEEDING THROUGH and GOD FORBID. He remarked, "I’m so glad ATR have transcended 'metal' and have become 'musicians.' Labonte later walked back his comments after some negative backlash online, saying, "That last post was about 'metal' and it wasn’t about the quality of the bands mentioned. It was a reflection on how arbitrary and fickle 'metal' fans are. Stop lookin for hate."ALL THAT REMAINS had a No. 2 single on the rock radio chart earlier this year with "What If I Was Nothing", which marked a stylistic departure for the band.A previous single from "A War You Cannot Win", "Stand Up", spent three weeks at NO. 1, making it the band's first -ever chart-topper fifth consecutive Top 10 rock single."A War You Cannot Win" debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard album chart and has sold over 115,000 copies to date.

Read more... then come back and comment below.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Join Metal Forum

    joinus-home.jpg

  • Our picks

    • Whichever tier of thrash metal you consigned Sacred Reich back in the 80's/90's they still had their moments.  "Ignorance" & "Surf Nicaragura" did a great job of establishing the band, whereas "The American Way" just got a little to comfortable and accessible (the title track grates nowadays) for my ears.  A couple more records better left forgotten about and then nothing for twenty three years.  2019 alone has now seen three releases from Phil Rind and co.  A live EP, a split EP with Iron Reagan and now a full length.

      Notable addition to the ranks for the current throng of releases is former Machine Head sticksman, Dave McClean.  Love or hate Machine Head, McClean is a more than capable drummer and his presence here is felt from the off with the opening and title track kicking things off with some real gusto.  'Divide & Conquer' and 'Salvation' muddle along nicely, never quite reaching any quality that would make my balls tingle but comfortable enough.  The looming build to 'Manifest Reality' delivers a real punch when the song starts proper.  Frenzied riffs and drums with shots of lead work to hold the interest.


      There's a problem already though (I know, I am such a fucking mood hoover).  I don't like Phil's vocals.  I never had if I am being honest.  The aggression to them seems a little forced even when they are at their best on tracks like 'Manifest Reality'.  When he tries to sing it just feels weak though ('Salvation') and tracks lose real punch.  Give him a riffy number such as 'Killing Machine' and he is fine with the Reich engine (probably a poor choice of phrase) up in sixth gear.  For every thrashy riff there's a fair share of rock edged, local bar act rhythm aplenty too.

      Let's not poo-poo proceedings though, because overall I actually enjoy "Awakening".  It is stacked full of catchy riffs that are sticky on the old ears.  Whilst not as raw as perhaps the - brilliant - artwork suggests with its black and white, tattoo flash sheet style design it is enjoyable enough.  Yes, 'Death Valley' & 'Something to Believe' have no place here, saved only by Arnett and Radziwill's lead work but 'Revolution' is a fucking 80's thrash heyday throwback to the extent that if you turn the TV on during it you might catch a new episode of Cheers!

      3/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 10 replies
    • I
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/52-vltimas-something-wicked-marches-in/
      • Reputation Points

      • 3 replies

    • https://www.metalforum.com/blogs/entry/48-candlemass-the-door-to-doom/
      • Reputation Points

      • 2 replies
    • Full length number 19 from overkill certainly makes a splash in the energy stakes, I mean there's some modern thrash bands that are a good two decades younger than Overkill who can only hope to achieve the levels of spunk that New Jersey's finest produce here.  That in itself is an achievement, for a band of Overkill's stature and reputation to be able to still sound relevant four decades into their career is no mean feat.  Even in the albums weaker moments it never gets redundant and the energy levels remain high.  There's a real sense of a band in a state of some renewed vigour, helped in no small part by the addition of Jason Bittner on drums.  The former Flotsam & Jetsam skinsman is nothing short of superb throughout "The Wings of War" and seems to have squeezed a little extra out of the rest of his peers.

      The album kicks of with a great build to opening track "Last Man Standing" and for the first 4 tracks of the album the Overkill crew stomp, bash and groove their way to a solid level of consistency.  The lead work is of particular note and Blitz sounds as sneery and scathing as ever.  The album is well produced and mixed too with all parts of the thrash machine audible as the five piece hammer away at your skull with the usual blend of chugging riffs and infectious anthems.  


      There are weak moments as mentioned but they are more a victim of how good the strong tracks are.  In it's own right "Distortion" is a solid enough - if not slightly varied a journey from the last offering - but it just doesn't stand up well against a "Bat Shit Crazy" or a "Head of a Pin".  As the album draws to a close you get the increasing impression that the last few tracks are rescued really by some great solos and stomping skin work which is a shame because trimming of a couple of tracks may have made this less obvious. 

      4/5
      • Reputation Points

      • 4 replies
×
×
  • Create New...