Stars Are Falling / Skylines Split Series Vol. 1
Blood & Ink Records BIR1011 2005
By Jason Jordan
Just what everyone wanted! More metalcore! But, no, its not that bad. All you have to do is wade through all the crap to get to the real gems. And this split featuring Stars Are Falling and Skylines is neither crap nor a gem. What it is, rather, is satisfying metalcore that truthfully doesnt manage to upend their peers efforts. In spite of that confession, Split Series Vol. 1 does hint at better things to come for both parties involved.
This record barely bleeds past the thirty-minute mark, so the length may be a turnoff at the end of the day. But, Stars Are Falling present us with a standard form of said subgenre, though its iterated endearingly. The subpar, clean vox do make appearances sometimes, but are kept fairly low in the overall mix, which is definitely a positive attribute. The grooves are, thankfully, noticeable as well. Again, though, Split Series Vol. 1 doesnt project the pinnacle of metalcore by any means. Unfortunately, as the trend dictates, all the song titles are cutesy, and subsequently annoying. Of the eight selections, the trailing four belong to Skylines, which greet us with a much different take than that of the aforementioned. The True Comedy of a Self-Righteous Man is seemingly more primal in nature than any previous tracks, and its like comparing Unearth to As I Lay Dying. Both boast a sickening amount of polish, but somehow Unearth feels more I dont know earthy? Well anyway, Skylines willingly implement chaos into their repertoire, and their vocalist seems to strain his chords more so than other singers Ive heard before. Deus Non Est Machine is a calming instrumental tune, while Our Hero Enters the Board Room (the only song title I like on the album) doesnt stray at all from metallic hardcore. And, the ending is nice and serene.
To save time, haters of metalcore shouldnt even bother with Split Series Vol. 1 as it will serve them no purpose other than supplying more anger. Nevertheless, Stars Are Falling and Skylines each have their fair share of quality and if I were pressed to pick one over the other Id give the nod to the latter. Good showcase for both bands.
7.5/10
Official Stars Are Falling Website
Official Skylines Website
Official Blood & Ink Records Website
Blood & Ink Records BIR1011 2005
By Jason Jordan
Just what everyone wanted! More metalcore! But, no, its not that bad. All you have to do is wade through all the crap to get to the real gems. And this split featuring Stars Are Falling and Skylines is neither crap nor a gem. What it is, rather, is satisfying metalcore that truthfully doesnt manage to upend their peers efforts. In spite of that confession, Split Series Vol. 1 does hint at better things to come for both parties involved.
This record barely bleeds past the thirty-minute mark, so the length may be a turnoff at the end of the day. But, Stars Are Falling present us with a standard form of said subgenre, though its iterated endearingly. The subpar, clean vox do make appearances sometimes, but are kept fairly low in the overall mix, which is definitely a positive attribute. The grooves are, thankfully, noticeable as well. Again, though, Split Series Vol. 1 doesnt project the pinnacle of metalcore by any means. Unfortunately, as the trend dictates, all the song titles are cutesy, and subsequently annoying. Of the eight selections, the trailing four belong to Skylines, which greet us with a much different take than that of the aforementioned. The True Comedy of a Self-Righteous Man is seemingly more primal in nature than any previous tracks, and its like comparing Unearth to As I Lay Dying. Both boast a sickening amount of polish, but somehow Unearth feels more I dont know earthy? Well anyway, Skylines willingly implement chaos into their repertoire, and their vocalist seems to strain his chords more so than other singers Ive heard before. Deus Non Est Machine is a calming instrumental tune, while Our Hero Enters the Board Room (the only song title I like on the album) doesnt stray at all from metallic hardcore. And, the ending is nice and serene.
To save time, haters of metalcore shouldnt even bother with Split Series Vol. 1 as it will serve them no purpose other than supplying more anger. Nevertheless, Stars Are Falling and Skylines each have their fair share of quality and if I were pressed to pick one over the other Id give the nod to the latter. Good showcase for both bands.
7.5/10
Official Stars Are Falling Website
Official Skylines Website
Official Blood & Ink Records Website
