Fear Before The March Of Flames, Russian Circles, Damiera March 24, 2007

Take whatever you think you know about Fear Before The March Of Flames and toss it in the garbage. Sure, your instinct is to flip through that file cabinet in your mind and pull out a folder that says "Fear Before is that heavy band that sounds like... (insert generic metalcore band here)," but believe this and you'd be terribly wrong. Let all of your preconceptions melt away and brace yourself, because Fear Before The March of Flames' third album The Always Open Mouth is about to cause an earthquake.

If you really need a band comparison to get you to open the CD, think more along the lines of Cursive, Faith No More, or the Deftones rather than Converge or Dillinger Escape Plan. However, Fear Before's signature writhing guitars and unyielding vocals still resonate throughout the album. There is a constant grappling between melody and discord that creates a tug-of-war game in which you are essentially participating.

Official Website: http://www.inertia-entertainment.com