A SKYLIT DRIVE Adelphia - 2009 US CD, 2nd album from US post-Hardcore outfit
Format: CD Condition: New Year of Release: 2009 Cat. No.: 30123 Label: Fearless
The Lodi, CA band A Skylit Drive's second album 'Adelphia' distinguishes itself from the screamo metal pack in a couple of important ways.
Though they display plenty of power in the rhythm section and sport dual guitarists who have plenty of crunching riffage between them, the songs actually have huge hooks that soar and swoop in ways that aren't dissimilar to pop music. They also add various keyboards to the mix, from symphonic synth washes to Coldplay-ish piano, which adds extra prog rock texture to the band's sound. And there is a strong element of prog to the band's sound; you can hear the influence of bands like Coheed & Cambria and Queensryche in the scope and vision of the songs.
The most important factor in the band's sound, though, is singer Michael "Jag" Jagmin. His unbelievable high vocals call to mind Geddy Lee on first listen, also on every repeated listen! It's an uncanny resemblance, but once the shock wears off, it's easy to be impressed with both how elastic his voice is and also the amount of emotion and power Jagmin transmits throughout the album.
Too bad the band spoils it somewhat by throwing in lots of screamo and death metal grunting and howling. These touches don't add any menace or ferocity, mostly they just distract from the unearthly sound of everything else on Adelphia.
If you can overlook this one minor misstep, the album is a successful attempt at creating something epic and new out of some everyday materials.
~ Review by Tim Sendra, Rovi
TRACK LISTING:
1 Prelude To A Dream 2 Those Cannons Could Sink A Ship 3 Heaven 4 I Swear This Place Is Haunted 5 Eva The Carrier 6 Worlds End In Whispers, Not Bangs 7 The Boy Without A Demon 8 Thank God It's Cloudy Because I'm Allergic To The Sunlight 9 Air The Enlightenment 10 The Children Of Adelphia 11 Running With The Light 12 It's Not Ironic, It's Obvious 13 See You Around
