Attack! Attack! - Self-titled
By: Nick Habisch
I feel Attack Attack has gotten a bad rep around the metal world. Ever since their video for Stick Stickly showed up, “crabcore” has become a genre and this band has become the laughingstock of the metal world. With the removal of their former screamers Austin Carlile and Nick Barham, Attack Attack! sets out to revitalize their sound, and this they have done so on their self titled second album.
Although still incorporating the techno and dance elements, along with some use of autotune, they have turned from a complete scene band, into more of a For the Fallen Dreams-esque hardcore with some synth elements. Although some songs, like the completely un-metal Shut Your Mouth, show Attack Attack! trying something different, most of the songs stay within the bounds of metalcore.
The biggest difference on this album is the vocals of keyboardist Caleb Shomo. Gone are the high-pitched vocals, and in comes guttural low ones, bearing resemblance to those of A Plea For Purging and the already mentioned For the Fallen Dreams. This is the biggest improvement in the band, as the vocals correspond nicely with the melodic singing. The clean vocals are also improved, and the use of auto-tune is much reduced in this album.
Musically not much is changed. The synth leads the sounds, from piano lines to techno loops such as on Sexual Man Chocolate. It provides the most changing sound throughout the record, and works well. The guitars still stay heavily in breakdown mode, but with the new vocal approach this comes off a lot better then on their last album. The bass is non-existent, and the drums are solid, if not average in their attempts to keep the album flowing. Group vocals litter the album, such as on Smokahontas and again provide a nice contrast to the melodic side of things Attack Attack! brings to the table.
This album is by no means perfect though. The song Shut Your Mouth and the beginning of Fumbles O’Brien show that Attack Attack! needs to take their music more seriously if they want to be respected. The switch from pure scene music to a more hardcore sound may alienate people, and the easy, if not blatant comparison to For the Fallen Dreams will let the listener know that originality and songs without breakdowns are really nowhere to be found on this record.
Personally I find this record actually pretty soild. I feel that Attack Attack! Is headed in the right direction, but needs to put more work into their songwriting, and maybe learn some guitar riffs instead of breakdowns. Overall this is an enjoyable record, but not an everyday listen.
Rating: 
