Reform The Resistance – The Truth Is Dangerous
Posted by Bruce Smeath | Aug 7, 2012 | Album Reviews, Music | 0 |
So, I love Opeth and Meshuggah and Machine Head and Metallica and Testament and Fear Factory and Oceansize and yadda yadda yadda. But strangely I also have a bit of a soft spot for Christian/positive thinking rock bands, too.
Weird, as I have less than no interest in religion. Maybe it's the indefatigable cheeriness of a lot of these bands that appeals to me.
Anyhoo, today I've come across Reform The Resistance, an alternative rock three-piece who rose from the ashes Justifide a few years back. I read on the web that "The Truth Is Dangerous" was recorded in 2010 so not sure how it has found its way to my door in the second half of 2012 but better late than never as it's a reasonably strong album, featuring one song in particular that you simply must hear.
First track 'Kill Lies' is fairly rocky, a bit shouty, and a promising statement of intent. The less said about the unnecessary rap bit the better.
And then we get 'Tonight We Ride', a track so good it influences how you think about the album as a whole, much like the track 'Mountain' by Exit Ten does for "Give Me Infinity". 'Tonight We Ride' is a soaring, roaring, uplifting song with great playing, great singing, and a great arrangement that combines the best elements of Anberlin, Collective Soul and yes, even the late, great Watashi Wa.
Of course, the one downside of having a song this good is that all the others do pale by comparison. In the case of Reform The Resistance this is frustrating because while the rest of the album is reasonable, you kinda think it could have been so much better given the skills they demonstrate on 'Tonight We Ride'.
I think the key problem is that a lot of the rest of the songs are too bitty. Most of them have got good bits in them, but they are too fragmented and just don't flow in the way that a really good song does.
'Are You One Of Us, Or Are You One Of Them' starts with a quirky keyboard melody making it sound like a dance tune before quite a heavy guitar riff. Next track 'Mercy in Blood' has a heavyish riff and fierce vocals, but is hard to really get into.
Track 7 'This Present Darkness' starts with rapping, the biggest no-no in my book and by now you sense Reform The Resistance have almost forgotten how to structure an actual song in this middle period of the album.
The last three or four songs are mostly fine though but by the end of the album, track 2 notwithstanding, it feels slightly like an opportunity missed and makes me wonder again why I'm reviewing it in 2012 when it was recorded in 2010.
Overall, it's a pretty good album and Reform The Resistance is a band I feel I would want to encourage. If you like this kind of stuff, and also if you're a Jimmy Eat World fan then give "The Truth Is Dangerous" a go. If nothing else you've got at least one song that will knock your socks off.
Reform The Resistance – Facebook Page
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