Music review: Saosin – Along The Shadow

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Seven years we waited for a new album from Saosin and the long wait was worth it. Anthony Green again filled the vocal position given in 2004 for the Circa Survive sphere. This news is obviously a frenzy of children who grew up in the early 2000s, but also "Seven Years" is one of the most anthemic songs and makes us eager to have our own emo band. The hype that overshadowed this great album, which is highly correlated with expectations from fans as well.

I myself honestly do not so exactly Saosin in the Cove Reber era. Practically only "Voices" and "You're Not Alone" I just memorized, others may only ever hear it. This is actually a benefit for me personally when I am free to listen to The Shadow more freely. I do not need to compare Saosin at this time with the Saosin of Cove Reber's time. This is beneficial, although it is undeniably precisely the age of Cove Reber was Saosin's name reached its peak.

One thing that makes a little curious is whether Anthony Green will bring Circa Survive influence to the album Along The Shadow? Then whether the release of Justin Shekoski will greatly affect the music Saosin? Well, many questions are hanging and will not be missed if we do not listen to Along The Shadow. The most crucial question is clear, does all the hype and also the glorification of emo revival it is worth the results of their creativity in the studio to work on Along The Shadow?

At a glance this album sounds a bit brutal and brings our memories into the decade of 2000s with the sound they show. The Saosin's decision to bring a sound that sounds old school is a very good decision for them. This album is part of emo nostalgia is not it? I think one of the most appropriate ways to generate that nostalgia is to bring a very famous sound right a decade ago. I immediately felt back to the era where I was still in junior high school.

However, it seems the track opening "The Silver String" is less powerful to open an album that has been very awaited since the beginning of the year. I myself feel "Racing Toward a Red Light" is more suitable to be used as the opening of the album because the song is like having the urgency to bring us instantly feel Along The Shadow. "Racing Toward a Red Light" itself is one of the most stand-out tracks on the album, this track is easy to memorize also has a massive hook, which I think is helped by the sound quality of Anthony Green himself.

Listening to Anthony Green singing on this album is like a magical experience. His voice is really powerful, full of power and grit, not to mention if we listen to the range that Anthony Green can achieve. Anthony has an angelic range that sometimes makes us feel this world is not fair. We also need to appreciate Anthony Green's innovation in coating his clean vocals with a truly brutal scream. I remember, my friend once said this to me, "Scream Anthony Green is painful, like bloody."

The album is like a stage for Anthony Green to show his quality as one of the best sounds in the emo scena. It's just that, several times I also feel the scream that I hear is overused and impressed imposed, some times it's a little annoying. But, over time I began to get used to scream Anthony Green in Along The Shadow. Broadly speaking, I think this is Anthony Green's best vocal performance. Even if I may be outrageous, this is better than his performance on Circa Survive's Blue Sky Noise album. In addition to Anthony Green, the full credit we deserve to give Alex Rodriguez. Saosin drummer is like excess power in Along The Shadow. Like wanting to spill everything he's been in for 7 years and the result is a blow and stuffing from Alex is very innovative and fascinating. One of the highlights of his performance is of course in the song "Control and The Urge To Pray", I can not believe what's on Alex's mind when he fills the drums in this song. "He's crazy, really crazy, crazy, right genius" was my expression as I listened to the drumming in minute 1:54 song "Control and The Urge To Pray".

Anthony Green and Alex Rodriguez are clearly the highlight of this album. But of course we can not rule out the role of other members such as Beau Burchell (guitar) and Chris Sorenson (bass). I honestly liked the riff written by Beau Burchell. Some of the riffs he wrote have the potential to bring the head banging masal when the song is delivered directly. Although some sound like never done, Beau Burchell also has his own genius moment. One of the best I remember was the bridge part before chorus 2 on the song "Ideology Is Theft", that part was really bewitching and euphoric to me, sweet and grand.

Another thing I like about this album is that the album is filled with songs that have the potential to become very big. They also do not hesitate to experiment there, rather than playing safely on the emo path. One thing to note is the pacing of songs that are sometimes beyond our expectations. Included among them is they are not afraid to insert polyrhythm, if you listen to "Second Guesses" you will hear the difference of taps in the pre-chorus. Alex Rodriguez played 4/4 while Beau and Chris Sorenson played in 3/4, this part is very interesting because "Second Guesses" is their most radio friendly song. A song that actually entered the realm of pop rock, but they are not afraid to explore this song to be slightly different.

Along The Shadow is actually closed by the song "Control and The Urge To Pray", but if you buy a Deluxe version that can be found on iTunes, you will get a gem called "Along The Shadow of Man". I can not figure out why they are compressing this song as a bonus track only, this song in my opinion will be a very strong cover. "Along The Shadow of Man" has it all, hook, instrument, and also atmospheric.

This album has longevity potential long. There is usually an album that makes you instantly stunned when you hear it for the first time, but you will get bored after listening to it 10 times or more. There is also an album that needs time to grow as you listen, maybe for the first time you will find it very ordinary but after 10 or more times you will find that the album is special. Along The Shadow goes the second part, even for me personally, the album is like growing up to force me to not go through routine without listening to this album.

Without trying to deny Cove Reber, Saosin sounds phenomenal with Anthony Green. In a nutshell, this album is a fitting combination of pop-style hooks with rock instruments.