Hardcore has changed dramatically over the years of its history, and for every new breed of bands standing on the brink of new directions there are leaders and followers. The Judas Cradle follow. Nothing wrong with that. Their dissonant, break-down metalcore snaps your neck in just the right way and does this without adding anything new to this style of modern hardcore. Nothing wrong with that either.

What I am really starting to dislike is the amount of bands that have nothing to add and are just being generic. And that’s exactly what you don’t want to hear as a band. Hate us or love us, but don’t be indifferent about us. Modern hardcore is more and more hitting the walls of its current limitations. What we need are new grounds to break.

Within the frames of metalcore, The Judas Cradle use all the ingredients necessary for an above average release. There’s plenty aggression and enough break-downs, there are even riffs that I dare to call catchy. And even if singer/screamer Clayton doesn’t convince all the way, he puts down more than 100%. Production lacks a certain depth but that’s probably because of financial reasons. Still, the album as a whole just doesn’t reach out to me. It doesn’t pull me in or stirs that feeling in my knees that tells me to go nuts.

If you just can’t get enough of this type of metalcore, buy the album. If you are more critical and you are looking for something new, then don’t. Or at least not without listening to it first.