Widow Sunday - In These Rusted Veins [Review]

Band: Widow Sunday

Album: In These Rusted Veins

Released: May 2010

Genre: Metalcore, Hardcore, (some) Thrash

Label: Rat Pak Records

Reviewer: Spiritcrusher


It is has been ages since I reviewed an album, and it certainly seems appropriate to review a band that is from the state I currently reside in. Widow Sunday are from Framingham, Massachusetts, and definitely have potential for the future. Just as a quick history lesson, Massachusetts, especially Western Massachusetts is home of some of the pioneering bands in Metalcore, Deathcore, and Hardcore music.

Bio:

From Framingham, Massachusetts, Widow Sunday has five members: Darin Moyen (Drums), Patrick Flaherty (Bass), Adam Cutler (Rhythm Guitar), Sean Duffy (Lead Guitar), and Jacob Falconer (Vocals). Other than the album I’m currently reviewing, In These Rusted Veins, Widow Sunday have also released an album the year before (2009) called Embracing the Beast Within. The band also describes their genre as “dance metal”. I suppose that’s behind the use synth and some of the industrial elements in their songs (I’ll get back to that later). In These Rusted Veins is Widow Sunday’s second full-length album, and has a very strong but varying sound.

Sound:

The first song on the album, after the synth-infused short introduction track, Liberate Tuteme Ex Inferis, is called Channeled. To my surprise, as someone who isn’t really into hardcore music, I enjoyed that track. The thrash-inspired drums, the heavy “chugged” riffs, and the relatively versatile vocals were very fun to listen to. The first bands that came off the top of my head were Hatebreed, Devildriver, and Shadows Fall, another band from Massachusetts. If you like to mosh, then this is your song. Forever Sleep is another great track, and in the latter half of the song, you get to experience the synth in this album on a full song, and it actually works quite well. It comes in during a breakdown, and shows some of the metalcore elements that I find in this band. Other tracks that I really enjoyed were In The Silence and Vive Ut Vivas.

I am very reluctant to talk about what I didn’t enjoy as much, simply because one’s preferences in music is a matter of subjectivity. I’ll just bring it up anyway. The guitar riffs are great, the bass is perfectly in with the rhythm, and the drums are wonderful too. However, my main concern is the repetitiveness. Very similar rhythms are used in many of the songs, and I feel like that gives the listener the element of predictability, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I personally wasn’t a fan of some of the drums parts, especially on Symbiont and in Swell the Seas. The parts in particular have that “dance” element in there, which is where I find the generalization of “dance metal” appropriate, as well as the synths of course. Blood Money has an intro with lots of synth, and it works pretty well. So, to clear any misconceptions, I’m not against the use of synth or the “dance” elements in their music. Another thing I’d like to mention is the second instrumental track, Trageodia, which is all piano and synth. I think it’s absolutely beautiful! Kudos to whoever wrote that! I think it’d be better if they put some clean guitar and bass in there to allow more involvement in the track, unless they have a new keyboards player.

Lyrics:

The lyrics are really what I expected. They’re very emotionally self-driven, and I think that’s pretty awesome. I think music with that sound really works with lyrics about releasing anger. It sounds really cheesy, but it’s pretty good. I find the lyrics to Channeled very simple, yet meaningful, and quite militant! You could probably start a violent revolution with this:

“Stand your ground and demand your truth, Never submit to lies or abuse, Use your hate to channel your vengeance, And embrace the beast within”

…Be right back, guys. I’m off to overthrow a few governments!

Although I really have to say that I didn’t enjoy the lyrics of Hippie Drill. I mean, it’s their free will to say what they want in their music, but I guess hippies aren’t the first people I’d personally attack in my music. I’m just not a fan of the lyrics. It’s not a matter of the sophistication, but the point it makes.

“Fuck your righteousness
And fuck your hacky sack
And fuck your patchwork life
Fuck you tree-hugger
Fuck your peace
And what the fuck is that smell?
…
Your tie-dyed blood will fuel my hippie drill”

Apart from that, the lyrics are all about inner anger, vengeance, standing up to people putting you down, and just kicking ass with your fists and whatever else you got in your pocket. As they said in Channeled:

“Fist meets fist
Teeth meet curb
Fist meets fist
Teeth meet curb
How’s the taste of concrete?
How’s the taste of concrete?”

Last Words:

In These Rusted Veins is an album that really gets a mosh-pit opened up. Heavy riffs, thrashy double-bass drums, and synth add into an interesting and creative mix of industrial music with hardcore and metalcore music.

I see lots of potential in this band, and I think they’re on the right track. I think they can do more though. They have a creative genre that they’ve labeled themselves (Dance Metal), but I want them to evoke that, because the average listener will look at them at as a hardcore or metalcore band, which isn’t a bad thing either. The songs are all very catchy, but I get the same vibe from all of them, and I need something to help me distinguish some of the songs from each other. Dance metal seems like an interesting genre, and they should experiment more with synth, and maybe get a keyboard player. It really would be the icing to their cake.

Recommended Tracks:

• Channeled
• In The Silence
• Vive Ut Vivas
• Trageodia (if you love beautiful synth strings and piano)

Sounds Like:

• Hatebreed
• Shadows Fall
• Devildriver
• Machine Head
• It also reminds me slightly of some songs by Daath.

I rate Widow Sunday’s In These Rusted Veins 6.9/10

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In These Rusted Veins is available through the following online stores:

Rat Pak Records
CM Distro
Amazon
iTunes
Bull Moose Music