Your Memorial - Atonement

Artist: Your Memorial
Album: Atonement
Release Date: 11/23/10
Label: Facedown Records

Wow! That one word pretty much sums up Facedown Records' newest find Your Memorial. Their debut Atonement is most definitely a tale of two paradigms that quite frankly co-exist to create a gorgeous, yet crushing album. The main thing that stands out to me is how melodic the guitar riffs are throughout the album. Monotonous, down-tuned chugging, these songs are not, although when implemented they create a crushing effect that adds depth to Your Memorial's sound.

At times, the melodic, ambient guitars remind me more of experimental post-hardcore bands, A Hope For Home and Holding Onto Hope, than they do any metalcore band. Their beauty is in full effect on the two instrumentals, "Desolation," which has an almost sad Starflyer 59 feel, and "Surrender," which would fit right along with anything created by labelmates Hands and the aforementioned A Hope For Home.

On the other side of their musical "coin" are some of the heaviest breakdowns in the most unexpected spots. Those, along with vocalist Blake's unrelenting screams and the heavy, chugging guitar riffs create an effect that I'm sure would turn concrete into gravel. The first two songs, "Endeavor For Purpose" and "Hope Era," are examples of their heavier side and are by far the two heaviest tracks on the album.

Some of my favorite tracks are the ones that combine these two very different sounds into one cohesive unit. I believe this is where Your Memorial is at their best. Those songs would be the title track, "Not Fallen," "Unseen" and my personal favorite, "Surface," which adds hauntingly moody clean vocals by Karl Schubach of Misery Signals.

Rating: 8/10 As alluded to above, Your Memorial has a very diverse sound. Attributes of everything from ambient, post-hardcore to crushing deathcore can be heard at any given time. What is even more jaw-dropping than their diversity, is their way of crafting these different influences into cohesive, well written songs. I am definitely looking forward to any future releases from Your Memorial.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:

1. Endeavor For Purpose
2. Hope Era
3. Desolation
4. Atonement
5. Surface
6. Not Fallen
7. My Path Is Set
8. Unseen
9. Surrender
10. Immaculate Design

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