The Oracle, What Was, Is And Could Have Been

All Else Fails

Everything that goes around and comes around is all about possibilities. Everyone likes to talk […]
August 24, 2011
All Else Fails - The Oracle

Everything that goes around and comes around is all about possibilities. Everyone likes to talk about the past, present and future. Better said, people like to talk about what they were, what they are and what they could have been. It is like being obsessed by notions that concerns every breath an individual takes while thinking of what he could have done better, or did or is currently doing. However, I don't think that this is an obsession. The reality is folks that this is who we are. So why am I am babbling so much on such a philosophical matter? Well, this is a Metal magazine right? It is about me recollecting myself after listening to the sophomore release of the Edmonton based Canadians, the Metalcore band, ALL ELSE FAILS.

After I took my time to listen to "The Oracle, What Was, Is And Could Have Been", it made me think of many things, plenty of ideas. Not that I am talking about self-judgement or anything, but yes it is about our state of affairs. You can call it our progression towards the unknown. Music will always be music, and Metalcore will always be Metalcore, although I would say otherwise, but its message can cause an impact twice as double than your ordinary paper or book. ALL ELSE FAILS, like many bands that went forward with the same themes, enticed me with their deep philosophies. They judged and hammered some of the heaviest aspects, mostly struggles, of everyday life. They way I perceived it from their album, their doings were sublime.

Musically, well this is Metalcore, but not quite the same as the American style. I liked what ALL ELSE FAILS played because for me they were beyond the KILLSWITCH ENGAGE type of band. I also found boundaries that stepped forward into modern SOILWORK and FAITH NO MORE. Moreover, it was like as if Punk, Rock and Metal took a wonderful modernized progressive course. It seemed to me that almost every track sounded different as it presented uncommon ideas and sounds. I mostly liked the guitar works and vocal lines. Both guitar players, Klesko and Sands, drew lots of attention with some amazing, yet common Metalcore riffages along with gratifying lead guitar verses that tipped away a few dazzling solos. I can say that technicality is more than just on the safe side with these guys. The only thing that made me wonder is how did this band let their drum set to sound so plastic and weak in comparison to the other instruments, including the vocals? I was slightly baffled on that fact, but at least it didn't mess up the entire music.

When it came down to the track list at hand, I can point a few starlets that mesmerized me. I recommend on "This World In Flames", both electric and acoustic, bone crushing "Rebirth" and "Obsidian Walls", "Fallen" was a great treat even though it was lyrically heavy, and I even found the last parody "Robots!!! KOLTG" as cool. In addition to the names of the hits, I urge to take a deep listen to the rest while trying to notice the strong connection between the musical diversities and the strong lyrical sense. ALL ELSE FAILS did more than a fine job on those creations.

ALL ELSE FAILSare a true assorted group that I hope that many new ones will gather around to take a few notes from this recent attempt. You can call it Metalcore or Hardcore, whatever. Nevertheless the atmosphere was different. For me its was surreal.

9 / 10

Almost Perfect

"The Oracle, What Was, Is And Could Have Been" Track-listing:

1. Overture
2. This World In Flames
3. Twilight of Mankind
4. Fallen
5. The House At The End of The World
6. Monster Eats The Pilot
7. The Oracle
8. Rebirth
9. Sludge Factory
10. Obsidian Walls
11. This World In Flames (Acoustic)
12. Robots!!! KOLTG

All Else Fails Lineup:

Barrett Klesko- Vocals / Guitars
Mike Sands- Guitars
Seedy Mitchell- Bass / Backing Vocals
Tom Wolf- Drums

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