Under Cities making their mark in 2014
Hailing from over the pond, Under The Cities (formerly Dressed in White), are starting 2014 with a bang with their debut album Never A Lost Cause. A band that boasts influences as 'jesus, you, brotherhood and family' was only ever going to be good right?
No Compromise lays out the basic foundations for this album, beginning with a quote from John Piper about a court room verdict interjected with religion. From there the heavy vocals are thrown at us creating a great start to the album.
The next song is dragged along by an incredible riff as well as the hard hitting vocals, together with the electric drumming that really establishes and cements this song as dare I say it...an Anthem. As the ending of this song approaches it develops a catchy form that is impossible not to dance along too.
Catchy vocals are definitely the hook on Selah as well as the awesome guitar work to go with it. These guys are somehow able to get away from the crux that most metal bands put themselves in and have songs that are distinctively different. Some bands can have eleven tracks and make it sound like one long song. No big rise and fall of a drop is needed for United it kicks straight into the heavy rhythm beat down and lets the music speak for itself until the incredible lyrics come through at the end. We will stand united, we will stand as one. We will fight together until we draw first blood End.
From Me to You is two and a half minutes of ridiculous drops and incredible vocals. Nothing else needs to be said about this insane song.
In terms of vocals the next song on the album holds more passion than the rest. This is not to say the other songs haven't been passionate but the vocals really make it sound like they're screaming at someone rather than just down a microphone. It's almost like giving the whole album a new perspective. Stand Your Ground does what it says on the tin. Moving into the next track, 'No grea-ter love' ends up being a ridiculously catchy stand-out lyric that will be stuck firmly in your head. Obviously called No Greater Love, the catchy lyric, mashed in with catchy melodies...definitely a single opportunity here. This continues with Sick of it All which simply evokes a roller-coaster of emotions climaxing with three seconds of silence at the end. Great song, very raw.
FSC requires a few listens. Looking into potential song meanings I somehow don't think they'd sing about Forest Stewardship Council so I'm at a loss. The song however is awesome! Vocals are amazing and the big beats make this a song to be beaten...or to beat people too.
Amazing Grace was not what I had imagined at all. The heavy metal is put to one side and guitars are strummed as we're told about how amazing Jesus was and how we should be grateful. Apparently their influences weren't sarcastic as I once thought. Leaving personal religious views aside I really think this is a ballsy move for such a small band, you can lose a lot of fans over religion but these guys obviously have something to say and they're not afraid.
For a band that only started in 2011 and have gone through a name and line-up change in the interim, to be through to 2014 signed with an album out is quite a feat in my eyes and from this incredible album I think this will be their year.