At
All Cost
It's Time to Decide
Combat
Records, September 2005
Offensive words: 6
Genre: hardcore/screamo/even dance and
techno at times
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When metal ruled the earth, a record label named COMBAT Records
birthed such legendary acts as Venom, Exodus, Megadeth and Dark Angel.
And now, with the label recently resurrected, COMBAT welcomes a new
member into its family—At All Cost. At All Cost is the missing link
between the ‘brutal’ and the ‘beautiful’. Hailing from the music
capitol of the world, Austin, Texas, this complex and musically
intricate band has enthralled audiences for years with its unique sound
and strong work ethic, two ingredients that COMBAT saw as essential for
one of their flagship bands. “At All Cost” isn’t just a name for
these guys, it’s a mission statement. Watching as their life’s work
was shattered by an ill-fated, full-length album on Fiddler Records that
would never see the light of day; the band learned early on how to
survive in the business. And instead of giving up, they channeled this
anger and aggression into creating a new sound that would become
synonymous with the band itself.
Music
One of the more musically diverse albums I have heard in a long
time. This album has everything; hardcore, metal, dance, rock,
screamo and more. If you don't like the first one or two tracks of this
band, don't let that stop you because you may like the focus on the next
one. When the first track hit, I really enjoyed the metal verse and
breakouts on the guitar but the song turns very screamo during the chorus
with a more pop hook style. Still a great track but I wasn't feeling
the chorus. The next track then keeps the metal intensity but adds some
keyboard and effects which take the band in another direction on "The
Formula." Again, on "Human Now" the metal holds the metal
feel and now adds almost an old school funk feel by adding some old school
keyboard effects between portions. A great track and the intensity is all
over the board. It was like a metal core version of "Funky Town",
well not really haha. The metal edge of the album continues until track 6,
"Fabricated" which is a major direction change with a
techno/dance/modern rock number. It had a great feel with a completely
different overall tone and appeal. "The Irony" kicks the cd back
in metal thrash mode and brings the album to a complete circle of style
and approach. For the next several tracks the album holds this hard
core/metal approach and then changes just as quickly on an instrumental
track with "It Turns Back" giving a feel of a soulful approach
and even throws in a violin for effect. The song is a very relaxing
number with a very emotional feel. A couple tracks later, "What is
Left To Inspire?" ends the track by pulling all the styles together
in a metal beginning to an acoustic Spanish sounding end filled with
classical guitar and violin. Overall, the diversity of this album is all
over the board with all but a few tracks being great
standouts.
Lyrically/Vocally
Lyrically, the album might as well have had a political advisory
sticker along with the parental one. Almost the whole entire album
deals with the focus on the current government and the problems the band foresees
with everything from their approach on social issues to the main focus
being the war in Iraq. One of the tracks makes mention this is not about
"left" or "right" but in all actuality it is.
This album is very extreme to the left. So if your approach is to
that then you will find you agree with most the comments made on this
album. There are a couple songs on the album that talk about
relationships with a screamo feel to them. Their are 4 'f' words that find
themselves mixed within 3 tracks. The vocals are as wide as the music
itself. Mixed with insanely intense growls, to vocal harmonizing, to a
hardcore yell, this album will appeal to everyone, but mainly the hardcore
fan.
Overall, the album on this music is all over the place, but with the
lyrical focus being to the direction I do not lean, I couldn't find myself
listening to this album again.