Bloodlined Calligraphy They Want You Silent
Facedown Records FR044 April 26th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Metal isnt known for its diversity, nor do I look for bands whose members encapsulate the term. But every once in a while Ill receive a disc that features a rare cast of characters, which seems to be the case with hardcore-supporters Bloodlined Calligraphy. For instance, this quintet includes a female, an African-American, two European-Americans, and one European-American who thinks hes African-American. So, yeah, this isnt your everyday line-up. Moving on, though, I tested They Want You Silent multiple times and emerged with mixed results each time. While this isnt worth a full-on purchase, Bloodlined Calligraphy do indeed have the potential to craft something gripping in the future.
Getting acclimated to They Want You Silent is fairly easy. Youve heard this hardcore style before, and it dips into metalcore at certain points as well. Frenchs growls though not as potent as Id hoped come off as malevolent, and the bands sense of rhythm is intact. Like their peers, Bloodlined Calligraphy are perfectly confident to let instruments drop in and out of the mix with ease. And the first track, Shall We Dance, lets the audience know what the five-piece is capable of. Kucsulain (Walls of Jericho) makes a welcome appearance on Know When to Hold Em, and both vocalists complement each other quite well. However, I cant say I like the lets-shout-in-unison vox that hardcore is (in)famous for. Furthermore, in my opinion, French and company should always opt for growls instead of anything thats half-hearted and clean. The coldest parts of Saturday Night in Dixie are, uh, cool; I also found myself enjoying French more than several female growlers Ive encountered. The production could use some work as well as the instrumentation, even though the rudimentary elements are all there.
In summation, theres simply no logical reason to grab They Want You Silent over, say, The Whores Trophy. Bloodlined Calligraphy, with this release, convinced me that they have a slew of potential just waiting to be tapped. Until then, Im going to bide my time by cranking their labelmates Symphony in Peril and Immortal Souls.
7/10
Official Bloodlined Calligraphy Website
Official Facedown Records Website
Facedown Records FR044 April 26th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Metal isnt known for its diversity, nor do I look for bands whose members encapsulate the term. But every once in a while Ill receive a disc that features a rare cast of characters, which seems to be the case with hardcore-supporters Bloodlined Calligraphy. For instance, this quintet includes a female, an African-American, two European-Americans, and one European-American who thinks hes African-American. So, yeah, this isnt your everyday line-up. Moving on, though, I tested They Want You Silent multiple times and emerged with mixed results each time. While this isnt worth a full-on purchase, Bloodlined Calligraphy do indeed have the potential to craft something gripping in the future.
Getting acclimated to They Want You Silent is fairly easy. Youve heard this hardcore style before, and it dips into metalcore at certain points as well. Frenchs growls though not as potent as Id hoped come off as malevolent, and the bands sense of rhythm is intact. Like their peers, Bloodlined Calligraphy are perfectly confident to let instruments drop in and out of the mix with ease. And the first track, Shall We Dance, lets the audience know what the five-piece is capable of. Kucsulain (Walls of Jericho) makes a welcome appearance on Know When to Hold Em, and both vocalists complement each other quite well. However, I cant say I like the lets-shout-in-unison vox that hardcore is (in)famous for. Furthermore, in my opinion, French and company should always opt for growls instead of anything thats half-hearted and clean. The coldest parts of Saturday Night in Dixie are, uh, cool; I also found myself enjoying French more than several female growlers Ive encountered. The production could use some work as well as the instrumentation, even though the rudimentary elements are all there.
In summation, theres simply no logical reason to grab They Want You Silent over, say, The Whores Trophy. Bloodlined Calligraphy, with this release, convinced me that they have a slew of potential just waiting to be tapped. Until then, Im going to bide my time by cranking their labelmates Symphony in Peril and Immortal Souls.
7/10
Official Bloodlined Calligraphy Website
Official Facedown Records Website
