Into the Moat The Design
Metal Blade Records MB3984-14528-2 March 8th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
I bet theres a release out there that you know youll like, but youre neglecting it simply because the cover artwork sucks. Well, admitting my irrationality, I did the exact same thing with Into the Moats The Design. In short, the cover art is about as lifeless as it gets, though the groups innovative take on metalcore is quite the breath of fresh air, especially considering how stagnant the aforesaid subgenre has become.
First of all, The Design is over a half an hour of experimental metalcore distributed by Metal Blade Records. Most everything about the instrumentation is striking, and Gossmans drumming is perhaps the quintets novelty. But, you cant forget the different approaches that Into the Moat sprinkle their songs with. The jazzy interlude in Dead Before I Stray completely blindsided me, but I was instantly enraptured with the bands braveness. In addition, all kinds of vocalizations puncture the compositions, and the guys took great care to pepper their stuff with hearty effects. Arguably, examples of the latter should be heard and not read, and The Design can considered to be toting a brand of chaoscore, if and only if the labeler(s) were applying the term liberally. Either way you slice it, though, Into the Moat are talent-filled individuals with a lot of focus.
Please disregard the boring artwork that plagues this disc, because the music inside is top-notch. Metalcore junkies will be thoroughly pleased with this offering, and Metal Blade Records has accomplished quite a feat by signing the best metalcore representatives, namely As I Lay Dying, Into the Moat, and Losa. Naysayers will still find much to dislike about this, though I wont be paying much attention to them. You shouldnt either.
8.5/10
Official Into the Moat Website
Official Metal Blade Records Website
Metal Blade Records MB3984-14528-2 March 8th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
I bet theres a release out there that you know youll like, but youre neglecting it simply because the cover artwork sucks. Well, admitting my irrationality, I did the exact same thing with Into the Moats The Design. In short, the cover art is about as lifeless as it gets, though the groups innovative take on metalcore is quite the breath of fresh air, especially considering how stagnant the aforesaid subgenre has become.
First of all, The Design is over a half an hour of experimental metalcore distributed by Metal Blade Records. Most everything about the instrumentation is striking, and Gossmans drumming is perhaps the quintets novelty. But, you cant forget the different approaches that Into the Moat sprinkle their songs with. The jazzy interlude in Dead Before I Stray completely blindsided me, but I was instantly enraptured with the bands braveness. In addition, all kinds of vocalizations puncture the compositions, and the guys took great care to pepper their stuff with hearty effects. Arguably, examples of the latter should be heard and not read, and The Design can considered to be toting a brand of chaoscore, if and only if the labeler(s) were applying the term liberally. Either way you slice it, though, Into the Moat are talent-filled individuals with a lot of focus.
Please disregard the boring artwork that plagues this disc, because the music inside is top-notch. Metalcore junkies will be thoroughly pleased with this offering, and Metal Blade Records has accomplished quite a feat by signing the best metalcore representatives, namely As I Lay Dying, Into the Moat, and Losa. Naysayers will still find much to dislike about this, though I wont be paying much attention to them. You shouldnt either.
8.5/10
Official Into the Moat Website
Official Metal Blade Records Website
