I'll be totally honest here. Originally I had a nasty, bitter, hate-filled review all ready to go about how much this album sucked and how much I hated it. I was fully prepped to drop an acidic, written shit all over this album - but then I listened to it. Yes, even I can be wrong about my prejudices - who would have thought, eh?

By that, I mean it's good. Very good. Good enough to listen to again to pick up all the little musical morsels you miss the first time. I was legitimately impressed by this album, and the last time I was this impressed was my last vomit night on ten years ago. You should have seen the size of this vomit, it was easy a couple gallons of stomach slurry. I pity the poor son-of-a-bitch who had to mop up that monstrosity at the pizza hut it happened in. Sorry, lost my train of thought there, let's discuss the music next.

The guitar riffing is hard, heavy, biting, and yet crispy - good. As for the lead work, I can say I'm happy. Mindless shredding never gets me hard unless someone slips me a Viagra without my knowledge, and they don't do that. Melodic lead work makes me smile greatly. Yay. As for the bass work, yet again we have the typical rock syndrome of not utilizing it to its full potential, and this is a note of aggravation I can't seem to shake away. Goddamnit, the bass exists, whether you want it to or not. No album will ever get a perfect score without at least a bass solo. Call me a petty jerk and I'll agree with you.

Now it's time for the little pieces of shit to make their presence known in our proverbial sandwich. They're there, no matter what your taste buds tell you. And here it's the vocals. I like then, usually. But every once in a while, the singer goes into a useless hardcore shout that I think is useless. The music doesn't need it and it's superfluously trying to add dramatic tension to a set piece that doesn't need it, warrant it, or crave it. Don't Do It. But he does. And that is a piece of shit. And who likes pieces of shit in their sandwich?

As well, there is something else worth mentioning. This album actually did resonate with me quite well. Several hooks stayed with me, and I recall humming rhythms and melodies at work hours later. That's good. That means the music must be doing something right. Good for them.

My idea bin is running is a little dry at the moment, so let me end on this next paragraph. "Anhedonia"is a good album; good enough to warrant the price of admission. It has no flaws that kill the deal, nothing to sour the palette or destroy your hopes and dreams. I liked it. I may even do the unthinkable and listen to it again after this review.

Oh, and there seems to be a Christian subtext present. Whether that's just them trying to jump on the "songs about bible shit are epic" bandwagon, or their legitimate faith kicking in, fuck that. Just ignore it and enjoy the show. It's a good show.