CD of the Week: Loss of Reason - the Nightmare Ages

Today's CD of the week is dedicated to some special friends of mine from Virginia Beach, Virginia, who've worked hard for a long time to produce what is easily their best album yet. The Nightmare Ages is their third CD in the last 6 years, and it is a 7 track EP that is chock-full of catchy riffs, gutteral but comprehensible vocals, and solid drumming.

This release strikes a note with me not only because I've seen this band go from a sloppy Every Time I Die knockoff into a tight metalcore quintent with their own sound, but also because this is yet another band who has not received any kind of real label support, and are therefore generally overlooked. The music is passionate and real, and subscribes to no genre stereotypes like the infamous "chugchugweewee" trends of Norma Jean or the Acacia Strain. That being said, there is plenty to mosh to on this record!

Another highlight of the band is the singer Ian's witty lyrics. Song titles like "Hit by an Oceanliner" and "Blood Bath and Beyond" should tip you off that this isn't just your standard generic and cliche' lyrics - this guy actually has something unique to say. The dynamics of said lyrics also range from positive to very negative: "Everything will fail...I know how the world will end" vs. "Take every chance that you get from life." The schizophrenic nature of the lyrics is personally a big plus for me, and give the music a kind of depth most bands just lack nowadays.

In summary, this band is a must listen for fans of non-trite metalcore. With such an implosion of copy-cat bands over the last 3 or 4 years, these guys are a breath of fresh air, and even manage to do something which is damn near impossible in this day and age: be somewhat original.

My Rating: 8/10

Listen!