Arguably the best album Life Of Agony have ever produced.
Reformed and refreshed, Life Of Agony return after an eight year break to release their brand new studio album 'Broken Valley' from October the 17th. Fans have eagerly anticipated the new record and it's safe to say that the band do not disappoint, 'Broken Valley' is a potent, poignant and perfectly placed rock album from a band whose creative spark is quite clearly still alight with the flame of musical passion. Life Of Agony came to be in the early 90's and soon became a phenomenal hit with their debut album 'River Runs Red'. Over the next six years they have released two heavily acclaimed studio albums ('Ugly' and 'Soul Searching Sun') and rubbed shoulders with Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, System Of A Down and Incubus on tour, gaining a great number of followers over that time. The band later split due to line-up changes and musical disagreements but then re-grouped for two final shows that sold out on minutes and ultimately brought the band back together. After a long break Life Of Agony return with a fresh slate and a cleaner, much more emotive sound, waiting to introduce the spoils of their hard work to the world, 'Broken Valley' the result of years of arguments and toil. 'Broken Valley' is bound to at least make a little impression on you if it fails to capture the heart straight away, there is just something so personal about the way that this rock quartet from New York create that makes you feel so at home and maybe even a little comforted which things are going tough. As soon as the first track kicks in, there is a real sense of security, like a voice quietly reassuring you that you will never be alone. Perhaps this is what has made Life Of Agony so popular and well known, they are a very approachable band that seems to be experienced in life and their music gives off a gentle but understanding brand of angst that makes their music easy to relate to.
The leading track 'Love To Let You Down' kick starts with a powerful riff that speeds into a really catchy and driving rhythm so infectious that in minutes you will find yourself singing along. With ferocious assaults from the guitar, sliding down harsh and grating scales and heavy drum fills, a sound is created not unlike a wild hybrid child of Black Sabbath and Incubus. Untamed and slightly rugged vocals that work somewhere half way between screaming and melodic working, grate like skin against a brick wall over the top of the guitar work and oddly enough it fits. Despite the rough exterior though, like most of Life Of Agony's music, there is a real sense of emotion behind the defiance and angry façade of the music and it lies mostly within the lyrics. 'Love To Let You Down' really has the most exquisite rhythm to it, guaranteed to get heads banging and fans singing along to the catchiness of the melody. All of these qualities make 'Love To Let You Down' the perfect lead single for the album and only leads the listener into a world of even better tracks full of a strange angsty brand of feel-good rock. That may sound like an oxymoron but it sure is an oxymoron that works!
'Last Cigarette' is one of those tracks that have an air of silliness about them but appear to ooze seriousness. The chorus is fast paced and driven with guitars soaking up a real eccentric sound courtesy of various sound effects and some amazing displays of skill. 'Last Cigarette' displays a real sense of life that is often found within the music of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and with such a head banging feel good chorus, it's Life Of Agony's answer to the type of song you'd play at a party if you were tired of listening to Blink 182 and My Chemical Romance on repeat. Vocalist Keith Caputo and bassist Alan Robert take the spotlight during 'Wicked Ways'. Heavily bass lead, it's refreshing to hear the sheer clarity and power behind the role of the bass in this song, it really guides the music along particularly the vocals. Keith's voice takes on a style not dissimilar to the lead vocalist of Creed, with a real gruff but melodic tone really driving on a keen sense of emotion. The song almost pleads with the listener and the different dynamics and colours of the song really display how flexible the band are. This is also true of 'Don't Bother' which combines the obvious jumping catchy rhythms of Life Of Agony with the defiant and roaring vocal style of Tool in the early days of their 'Undertow' album, the chorus of which bears similar resemblance to many of Tool's songs on that particular album. It is clear just from this track, that Life Of Agony take a lot of influence from a great many bands and work what with they feel works within their skill into the skill of their own band, creating a real mix of styles and sounds that ultimately becomes something special.
Taking on something of a darker approach is something that Life Of Agony does extremely well and this allows for their much more emotive and sensitive approach to writing music to shine through. 'Strung Out' is the perfect example of where the real strengths in Life Of Agony's music lies and is arguably the most beautiful of all the tracks on the album. Kicking off with a pained singing of the title words followed by a fatal blow of melancholic guitars, the melodic lines of the verses twist and tumble down a minor scale that drips tiredness and a real worn-out, worn-thin mood. The power to be found within the music here, however, is much stronger then in any other track with pained guitars dragging out a driving and forceful rhythm with bass purring gently underneath and framing the music, defining the gentle colour of the sound. Similarly the vocals grate over the top of the instruments with great skill and control, the tone emotive and desperate like a starving dog for food. This track is a real eye opener to the inner workings of the band and the real emotion in the music that they create, showing off that they are not just another miserable emo-fest rock band to be grouped under that ever so tedious and feared genre. Their sound certainly could not be further from Funeral For A Friend if it tried!
No, this album alone proves that Life Of Agony are a band unto themselves, working to create music that is easy on the ears and easy to take in, while retaining real depth and meaning behind each note played and each word sung. 'Broken Valley' has to be the best album that they have ever done, it is super raw with untamed aggression that has life and energy all of it's own. Eight years in the making and the result is a fantastic album that simply cannot fail to impress and certainly will not disappoint.